Sara C. Ballent Papers in press: (1) Ballent, S.C., Ronchi, D.Y., and Whatley, R., The ostracod genus Majungaella Grekoff (Ostracoda) in Argentina: Revista Geologica de Chile; (2) Ballent, S.C. and Whatley, R., The Ostracoda and environmental evidence in the marine Jurassic of Argentina: 13th Colloquium of African Micropaleontology, Yaounde, Camerun, March 1997.

Alwine Bertels continues directing several doctoral theses: (1) Laura Ferrero, Micropaleontologia y paleoecologia (ostracodos y foraminiferos) del cuaternario del sudeste de la provincia de Buenos Aires; (2) Dina E. Martinez, Ostracodos marinos y no marinos del Cuaternario del Sur de la provincia de Buenos Aires, consideraciones paleoambientales. In these theses, the research compresses the study of fossil Foraminifera and marine and nonmarine Ostracoda, the last being compared with some recent taxa collected in the regions.
Current work includes: Bertels-Psotka, A. (1) Quaternary Foraminifera of the northeastern and central coastal areas of the Buenos Aires Province, (2) Quaternary marine and nonmarine Ostracoda of the Buenos Aires Province, (3) Oligocene and Miocene nonmarine Ostracoda of Argentina; Bertels, A. and Cusminsky, G.C., Micropaleontology of the Nahuel Huapi Group, San Carlos de Bariloche area; Bertels-Psotka, A. and Martinez, D.E., Holocene nonmarine Ostracoda of the south of the Buenos Aires Province; Bertels-Psotka, A. and Laprida, C., (1) Holocene benthonic Foraminifera of the Canal 18 Member, Las Escobas Formation, Buenos Aires Province, (2) Benthonic Foraminifera, palaeoecology and taphonomy of Holocene littoral ridges of the Salado Basin, Argentina.
Papers in press: (1) Bertels-Psotka, A. and Cusminsky, G.C., Nuevas especies de ostracodos no marinos de la Formacion Nirihuau, provincia de Rio Negro, Argentina: Amerghiniana; (2) Bertels-Psotka, A. and Laprida, C., Ostracodos (Arthropoda, Crustacea) del Miembro Cerro de la Gloria, Formacion Las Escobas (Holoceno), provincia de Buenos Aires, Republica Argentina: Rev. Espanola Micropaleontol.; (3) Bertels-Psotka, A., and Laprida, C., Ostracoda (Arthropoda, Crustacea) holocenos del miembro Canal 18 (Formacion Las Escobas), provincia de Buenos Aires, Republica Argentina: Rev. Espanola Micropaleont.; (4) Bertels-Psotka, A. and Laprida, C., Ostracodos (Arthropoda, Crustacea) de la Formacion Las Escobas (Hloceno) cuenca del Salado, provincia de Buenos Aires, Republica Argentina: Ameghiniana.

Gabriela C. Cusminsky During January to March of 1997 she visited the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, Great Britain; during that time, under the direction of Robin Whatley, marine Ostracoda of the southwestern Austral Atlantic Ocean were studied. Current work includes (1) micropaleontology of the Nahuel Huapi Group of the San Carlos de Bariloche area, under the direction of Alwine Bertels, and (2) Ostracoda of the Comahu lakes, directed by Robin Whatley.
Work in preparation are: (1) Cusminsky, G.C. and Gagliotti, A., Ostracodos y diatomeas de un testigo cuaternario de la laguna El Toro, area de Piedra del Aguila, Neuquen, Argentina; (2) Massaferro, J. and Cusminsky, G.C., Estudio de ostracodos y quironomidos fosiles en un ambiente salino de la estepa patagonica (Laguna Carrilauquen, Piedra del Aguila, Neuquen, Argentina; (3) Cusminsky, G.C. and Whatley, R.C., Ostracodos marinos provenientes de un testigo del oceano Atlantico sudoccidental austral.
Papers in press: (1) Whatley, R.C. and Cusminsky, G.C., Non-marine Ostracoda and late Quaternary palaeoenvironments from the Lake Cari-Laufquen region, Rio Negro province, Argentina: Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology; (2) Whatley, R.C. and Cusminsky, G.C., Quaternary lacustrine ostracods from northern Patagonia; a review, in Global Geological Record of Lake Basins, Kelts-Gierlovski-Kordesh, editors.

Alicia Echevarria Current work includes the study of Tertiary marine ostracodes of Patagonia, Argentina, and now, in particular, those of the Oligocene Centinela Formation of the Cardiel Lake area.
Papers in press: Echevarria, A., Ostracodos marinos del Paleogeno del sud-sudeste del lago Cardiel, Santa Cruz, Argentina: Actas Reunion del Paleogeno de America del Sur.

Laura Ferrero Besides her doctoral thesis, she is working out the Ostracoda of a research project related to the evolution of the sedimentary environments in the Quequen Grande river during the last 20,000 years.
Papers in press: Zarate, M.A., Espinosa, M.A., and Ferrero, L., Paleoenvironmental implications of a Holocene diatomite, Pampa Interserrana, Argentina: Quaternary of South America and Antarctic Peninsula, v. 13.

Cecilia Laprida In November, 1997 she defended her Doctoral thesis at the Department of Biology, achieving, with the best qualifications, her Doctor title, with the development of the theme "Micropaleontologia (ostracodos y foraminiferos) y paleoecologia del Cuaternario Tardio del Nordeste de la provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina".
Current work includes micropaleontological assemblages (Foraminifera and ostracods) from Destacamento Rio Salado Formation (Holocene), Salado Basin, Argentina.
Works in press are those in collaboration with Alwine Bertels.

Dina E. Martinez Current work: (1) Recent and Quaternary Ostracoda of the Bahia Blanca estuary; (2) Ostracoda of the outcropping Quaternary sediments of the rio Quequen Salado, south of the Buenos Aires Province.

Patrick De Deckker continues his work on Quaternary palaeoclimates of the Australian region, by paying particular attention to the `blue water' marine environments. One satisfactory aspect was the publication last year of a special issue of Palaeo-3: volume 131 (3/4) (which Patrick edited) entitled "The Late Quaternary palaeoceanography of the Australasian region". This represents the product of much fruitful and multi disciplinary collaboration that was commenced at ANU under Patrick's initiative. Several papers in this issue deal with ostracods, including one by V. Passlow, another by K. Swanson, and also another with M. Ayress as senior author. Another paper appeared in this issue that was co-authored by Thierry Correge and Patrick on the ostracod valve composition of Late Quaternary, deep-sea ostracods from the Coral Sea as palaeotemperature recorders. Patrick's collaboration with Guy Wansard on Cyprideis valve chemistry is not completed, and a paper on the subject is in press in Chemical Geology.
An Honors student in the Geology Department, Ms. Kate Warren, completed her thesis in late 1997 on the use of ostracods fr the reconstruction of palaeosalinities from the Lake Eyre Basin in central Australia. More work on the subject is planned for the next three years as Patrick is collaborating on that basin together with John Magee (ANU) and Giff Miller (INSTAAR, Colorado). Several field trips are planned for the arid interior of Australia in the months to come.
Toward the second half of the year, Patrick will conduct chemical analyses on ostracods from several deep-sea cores from the eastern Indian Ocean in order to reconstruct past bottom-water conditions for the late Quaternary in the vicinity of the Western Pacific Warm Pool that is considered to be of global importance for global climate (refer to the Global Conveyor Belt). This work is being conducted in collaboration with Mrs. J. Shelley also from ANU.

Peter Jones Since he retired in mid-1996, Peter used the facilities at the Australian Geological Survey Organization (AGSO) to complete a manuscript on the taxonomy of the Eridostraca, which represents his contribution towards the revision of the Palaeozoic Ostracoda for the Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology. He also spent some time on database entry for ostracods in the Commonwealth Palaeontological Collection housed at AGSO. In September 1997, he worked with Dr. Michel Coen, from the Geology Department of the University of Louvain, Belgium, who visited AGSO to examine the Late Devonian and Early Carboniferous ostracod collections from northwestern Australia. They have flagged the Paraparchitacea for a joint future study. A few preliminary Silurian ostracod determinations were made in a paper which presented new biostratigraphic and biogeographic data from east-central Iran (Hamedi, M.A. and others, 1997).
Another (less ostracod oriented) task has been a palaeobiogeographical review of Australasian Carboniferous faunas and floras. The initial results were presented at the Palaeobiogeography of Australasian Faunas and Floras (PAFF) Conference held at the University of Wollongong last December. He is coordinating the Carboniferous chapter of a book on this subject, proposed by the conference organizers.
In January of this year, peter was appointed as a visiting fellow in the Geology Department of the Australian National University.

John Neil continues work on the Tertiary faunas of southeastern Australia, taxonomy and palaeoecology Papers in preparation on intraspecific variation and polymorphism in some Miocene ostracodes; comparisons of Recent faunas from coastal locations in Bass Strait, Tasmania, and New South Wales; Stereo-Atlas item on a new Pelecocythere species.
A Palaeocene ostracode fauna from the Pebble Point Formation, Otway Coast, Victoria will be published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria with a 1997 imprint. Intraspecific variation in some Miocene hemicytherid ostracodes (out for review, from 13th ISO, in absentia).

Andrew Parker has two new postdoctoral grants from ARC and ABRS, so he remains a Fellow of the Australian Museum. One of the projects involves describing about 90 new species of scavenging cypridinids (Myodocopida) from the east Australian coast, the other involves assessing the role of "light" in evolution (involves ostracods and other arthropod). I am also working on a project with Akira Tsukagoshi and Jean Vannier on ostracod segmentation. Although some of this work is on animal reflectors in general, much of it is still relevant to ostracods. I will be chairing a conference on this subject at the University of Bath (UK) in July 1998. Todd Oakley (Duke University, USA) will be following up on the ideas that light has been a major stimulus to myodocopid evolution (I have since found a similar trend in a group of crabs) and eyes evolved independently in ostracods. I will be attending the Crustacean Conference in Amsterdam (July) and conducting field work in Hawaii later this year.
In 1997 I gave the Australian Institute of Physics Annual lecture and was a speaker at the Horizons of Science media conference. I am writing a popular science book on the "light switch theory", a new explanation for the cause of the Cambrian explosion.
Papers in press: (1) Parker, A.R., Two new cypridinid genera and species from New South Wales, Australia (Crustacea: Ostracoda: Myodocopina): Rec. Aust. Mus.; (2) Parker, A.R., Color in Burgess Shale animals and the role of light in the Cambrian explosion: Proc. R. Soc. London B; (3) Parker, A.R., McKenzie, D.R., and Ahyong, S., A unique form of light reflector and the evolution of signaling in Ovalipes (Crustacea: Decapoda: Portunidae): Proc. R. Soc. London B; (4) Parker, A.R., Hegedus, Z., and Watts, R.A., Solar absorber type antireflection on the eye of an Eocene fly: Proc. R. Soc. London B; (5) Parker, A.R., McKenzie, D.R., and Large, M.C.J., Multilayer reflectors in animals using green and gold beetles as contrasting examples: J. Exp. Biol.

Iradj Yassini was inactive for most of 1997, having stopped work on forams and ostracods. Late last year he received funding to prepare a CD-ROM on Life in the Lake. This work includes description and illustration of forams, ostracods, crabs, diatoms, filamentous algae, sea grasses, birds, fishes, and foreshore vegetation of the estuarine environment. Chris Chafer is my co-author and we are hopeful to release the material on the net for public use.

Martin Gross has started work on ostracodes within his sedimentological-paleontological diploma work on the Upper Miocene of southeastern Styria. He described several species from the Pannonian.

Heinz Loeffler is continuing to investigate with much enthusiasm ostracods living and subfossils from Austria and Africa (Lake Nakuru).

Friederike Moesslacher analyzed the ecophysiological tolerances of F. wegelini to various concentrations of potassium chloride and potassium nitrate. The ecotoxicological aspects belong to ongoing doctorate project (Anpassung von interstitiellen Cyclopiden und Ostracoden an unterschiedliche Habitate im Grundwasser); a publication is in print (Subsurface dwelling crustaceans as indicators of environmental conditions in an alluvial aquifer: Int. Rev. ges. Hydrobiol.).
In press: (1) Moesslacher, F., 1997, Subsurface dwelling crustaceans as indicators of environmental conditions in an alluvial aquifer: Int. Rev. ges. Hydrobiol. Horne, D.J., K., and (2) Martens, and F. Moesslacher, 1997, Is there brood selection in Darwinula stevensoni,?, in: Crasquin, S., Braccini, E., and Lethiers, F., eds., Proceedings of the 3rd European Ostracodologists Meeting. Bull. Centr. Rech. Explor.- Prod. Elf-Aquitaine.

Yu Yin finished his doctoral thesis (Contribution to the morphology and ecology of Ostracoda, Limnocytheridae and CandonidaeComparative studies between Austrian and Chinese Crustacea) which was successfully defended at the University of Vienna. The thesis deals mainly with the comparative ecology of Limnocythere inopinata from various saline and freshwater habitats. It is based on a high amount of work and will be of a large interest for many ostracodologists. Yu returned to Nanjing at the Limnological Institute of the Academia Sinica. He will be one of the first Chinese ostracodologists working mainly with living ostracods. The Journal Hydrobiologia in the December 1997 issue published a description of a new Recent candonid from China and the cover of the journal presents this new species!

Irene Zorn studied Miocene ostracodes from the Molassezone of lower Austria for the geological mapping program of the Geological Survey, especially from the sheet 22 (Hollabrunn 1:50,000). The study includes classical Miocene localities of the Lower Sarmatian (Ziersdorf area), the transition of the Lower Badenian and the Karpatian (surroundings of Grund) and the Eggenburgian from Unternalb. Additionally, she worked on the variability of the ostracodes from the marine-brackish sediments of the Karpathian from the Kroneuburg Basin.
In the second half of the year she started to work in the project "Systematics, biostratigraphy and paleoecology of the ostracodes from the Badenian (Middle Miocene) in Austria with special emphasis on the species described by Reuss (1850)", which is supported by the Austrian Science Foundation. The duration of the project will be two years. In the first phase, the study focused on the Middle Miocene ostracode faunas of Vienna and the surrounding areas, including preserved geological monuments and building sites.
After finishing her thesis about Lower Miocene ostracodes from Lower and Upper Austria in the middle of the year, I. Zorn is employed as a micropaleontologist at the Geological Survey of Austria since the end of the year. The current working activities are given at the following web site: http://www.geolba.ac.at/ddeppa18.htm. (In German)
In press: Zorn, I., Ostracoda aus dem Karpatium (Unter-Miozaen) des Korneuburger Beckens (Niederoesterreich): Beitr. Palaeont., 22.


BELARUS

S.F. Zubovich The scientific students laboratory of the faculty of natural sciences at the Belorussian State University of Education is the only establishment in our Republic which carries on ostracodologic research. On the whole, the ostracodes of Cenozoic times are studied. In 1996 the researchers finished their scientific works on the methods to identify the monitoring for discovering changes in the quality of water based on ostracodologic research. The sediments of different interglacial to the Pleistocene have been studied lately. The following new species of ostracodes from the lake sediments of the Shclov interglacial were published in 1997: Cypridopsis roslavliensis Zubowicz sp. nov., Candona dementevi Zubowicz sp. nov., Cypria trapeciaformica Zubowicz sp. nov., Candona subovala Zubowicz sp. nov., Candona woroshilovae Zubowicz sp. nov., Cytherissa sklovica Zubowicz sp. nov., Cytherissa gurskyi Zubowicz sp. nov.

Jean-Georges Casier is continuing research on Devonian ostracods from the world, particularly in relation with the Late Devonian Mass extinction. He is currently working on ostracods from the Frasnian/Famennian boundary of Germany, France, Utah, and Nevada and from the Devonian/Carboniferous boundary of France.
Papers in press: (1) Casier, J.-G. and Lethiers, F., Ostracods Late Devonian mass extinction: the Schmidt quarry parastratotype (Kellerwald, Germany): Comptes rendus Acad. Sci. Paris, Earth and Planetary Sci., 325; (2) Casier, J-G. and Lethiers, F., Les Ostracodes du Frasnien terminal (Zonelinguiformis des Conodontes) de la coupe du col de Devils Gate (Nevada, USA): Bull. Roy. Sci. nat. Belgique, Sci. de la Terre, 66: 77-95; (3) Lethiers, F., Baudin, F., and Casier, J.-G., Ostracodes de la limite Frasnien-Famennien en environnement anoxique (La Serre, Montagne Noire, France): Rev. Micropal.

Michel Coen visited Peter Jones in Canberra in order to examine the collections kept there from northwestern Australia and to discuss the biogeographic connections between these and South Chinese ostracod faunas. He is currently busy with Tournaisian ostracods of Guangxi and paleobiology of Leperditiids (together with Jean Vannier and Wand Shangqi).

Koen Martens (1) Continuing studies on taxonomy, morphology, and ecology of African non-marine ostracods, with special reference to southern and eastern Africa; finalizing a fauna on the non-marine ostracods of southern Africa. (2) Taxonomy, morphology, and ecology of non-marine Israeli ostracods. (3) Comparative and evolutionary ecology of zoobenthos in large and ancient lakes (Baikal, Tanganyika, Nyasa/Malawi, and Titicaca), partim ostracods. Taxonomy of Tanganyikan Cytheroidea is conducted together with Karel Wouters, of Lake Baikal ostracods together with Galina Mazepova, of Lake Titicaca together with Philippe Mourguiart. (4) Postdoc project: The effects of reproductive mode and multiple invasions on speciation of ancient lake ostracods; comparative molecular genetics of Baikalian Cytherissa, with I. Sch"n and E. Verheyen. (5) Editing a book on evolutionary ecology of reproductive modes in non-marine ostracods (with participants of former EU-network). (6) For Treatise: post-Cretaceous non-marine Cyproidea and Limnocytheridae.

Wolfgang Mette carried during 1997 field work and ostracod studies (taxonomy, paleoecology) in the Koessener Formation (Rhaetian, Northern Calcareous Alps). The results will probably published in 1998. He will start during 1998 to work on ostracods from the Zlambach Formation (Rhaetian, Northern Calcareous Alps) and Kassianer Formation (Karnian, Southern Alps.).
For 1999 a project on Jurassic ostracods from East Africa is planned. This project will be concerned with ostracod paleobiology and paleoecology.

J.C. Coimbra has worked with administrative functions at CECLIMAR-Marine, Limnological and Coastal Research Center, a little center of the Rio Grande do Sul Federal University, located near the beach, around 130 km from Porto Alegre (where I have my ostracode laboratory). Notwithstanding, I continue to work on marine ostracodes from the Brazilian shelf, with emphasis on the taxonomy and zoogeography of the Brazilian equatorial ostracode fauna. A second project involves Cretaceous marine and nonmarine ostracodes from two northeastern Brazilian basins: Araripe and Potiguar. Finally, a third project involves the taxonomy, biostratigraphy, and paleogeology of southern Brazilian Cenozoic ostracodes from the Pelotas Basin.
Current work in progress includes: (1) zoogeography and ecology of the Family Cytheruridae along the Brazilian equatorial shelf; (2) the Family Trachyleberididae in Recent sediments of northern Brazil; (3) taxonomy and distribution patterns of Holocene equatorial shallow marine ostracodes from Brazil; (4) conchostracans and ostracodes: indicators of paleoenvironments in the Alto Saofranchiscana Basin, Olhos D'Agua area, Minas Gerais, Brazil; (5) Cretaceous marine ostracodes from Potiguar Basin, northeastern Brazil.
In press: (1) Ramos, M.I.F., Coimbra, J.C., Whatley, R.C., and Moguilevsky, A., Taxonomy and ecology of the Family Cytheruridae (Ostracoda) in the Recent sediments from the northern Rio de Janeiro coast, Brazil: Journal of Micropalaeontology; (2) Fauth, G. and Coimbra, J.C., Zoogeography of the ostracode genera Auradilus and Radimella on the Brazilian continental shelf: Neue Jahrbuch fur Geologie und Palaontologie; (3) Coimbra, J.C., Pinto, K.D., and Wurdig, N.L., Zoogeography of Holocene Podocopina Ostracoda from the Brazilian equatorial continental shelf: Marine Micropaleontology.
Students: Cristianini Trescastro Bergue, working on Brazilian ostracodes: Taxonomy and ecology of the Recent ostracodes from Sepetiba Bay, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil: a review.

Piero Ascoli continues his biostratigraphic studies on Mesozoic Ostracoda from offshore wells of the Canadian Atlantic shelf.

Ursula Grigg has (1) renewed contacts at the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History, of which she is a Research Associate, to work on the Invertebrate Collections and to build an ostracod collection. This is part of a project to place the holdings of East coast and Arctic Canadian ostracods, presently at Saint Mary's University, into the Museum. (2) Preparing, among other things, a new edition of Curatorial Report No. 53 of the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History (1985... Cenozoic Ostracoda...of Canadian East Coast). The original was tentative and had a very small distribution. (3) A paper on a local Perissocytheridea, with Q.A. Siddiqui, is nearly ready.

Trajan Petkovski is continuing, now here in Canada, my taxonomic research on freshwater Ostracoda from Macedonia and surroundings. It is also anticipated determination of ostracod material collected by Dr. W. Janetzky from continental waters of Jamaica.
In press: (1) Two papers on Candona and Heterocypris species from central and western Balkan, together with Burkhard Scharf; (2) one paper on Hemicypris species from rice fields of Macedonia, together with Huw Griffiths; (3) one paper on a Stenocypris species from China, together with C. Meisch.

Qadeer Siddiqui attended the ISO97 in Chatham, England, in July, 1997, and presented a poster on the Holocene fauna from cores taken in Notre Dame Bay, Newfoundland (more of Geoff Davis's Honors thesis). Work in progress includes continuing with the undescribed fauna of the Sor and Sulaiman Ranges (Paleocene-Eocene) of Pakistan(1) a paper on Neocyprideis is in press, (2) a paper on Paijenborchella and Neomonoceratina is nearly ready, (3) work on Cytheruridae is begun. A paper on a species of Perissocytheridea (with Ursula Grigg) is nearly finished.

Geoffrey Davis has left micropaleontology to study the biology of fish.

Cao Mei-Zhen continues research on Jurassic Ostracoda from North China and Ostracoda of Jehol fauna.

Gou Yun-Xian continues the revision of Ostracoda of China, Part 2, Paleozoic, Mesozoic, Cenozoic (marine) Ostracoda of China.

Guan Sao-Zeng in 1997 took part in the project "The rise and fall, evolution and ecology and environment of Genus Cypridea (Ostracoda)", aided financially by the fund of the National Natural Science (No. 49572074), visited late Jurassic and early Cretaceous sections in Luanping, Hebei Province and Beipiao, Liaoning Province. The latter section had yielded the primitive fossils. In 27-31 July, 1997, I attended the 13th International Symposium on Ostracoda at the University of Greenwich, London, UK, and read the paper "Early Eocene Cypridea from Pingyi Basin of Shandong, China". The article will be published in Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimate, Palaeoecology. In 23-26 September, 1997, I attended the International SymposiumGeology of South Carpathians in the Danube Gorges in Yugoslavia. After the meeting I made a visit and geological investigation in Yugoslavia for about one month.

Hou You-Tang continues the revision of Ostracoda of China, Part 2, Palaeozoic, Mesozoic, Cenozoic (marine) Ostracoda of China.

Li Yuanfang is working on Late Quaternary ostracode paleontology and environmental change of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau (northern Tibet), Inner Mongolia of China and Barrow, Alaskan Arctic.

Pang Qi-Qing continues his work on the non-marine Mesozoic and Cenozoic Ostracoda of Northern China. Paper in press: Pang Qi-Qing, Guan Shao-Zeng, and Xiao Zong-Zheng, The early Cretaceous coal-bearing strata and Ostracoda in Yanggao, Shanxi: Professional Papers Stratigraphy and Palaeontology, 27.

Peng Jin-Lan is in the last year of her Ph.D. The dissertation is entitled "Ostracod fauna and their environmental significance during past 200,000 years in Yunnan-Ghizhou Plateau, China".

Shan Huai-Guang issued the book entitled "Neogene palaeontology from north of Shandong", together with Li Jing-Rong and others. 14 genera and 40 species belonging to Cytherididae, Cyprididae, and Darwinulidae respectively, including 14 new species have been described in the book and the ostracod fauna can be divided into 3 assemblages and sub-assemblages.

Sun Zhen-Cheng is working within a project, together with Yang Fan, on ostracod ecology in Qaidam Basin, NW China. We are also preparing to study the main factor that control the existence and popularity of Ostracoda in China.

Wang Qiang continues to study Quaternary Ostracoda and environmental changes.

Wang Shang-Qi continues work on Sinoleperditiini (Leperditiidae) from the Devonian of South China and its adjacent areas, including phylogeny, evolutionary trends, paleoecology, paleoenvironments, paleogeographical distribution of Sinoleperditiini. Manuscripts on myodocopes (Ostracoda) from the Llandovery of China, with co-worker Dr. D.J. Siveter, and on Palaeobiology of Leperditiids (Ostracoda), with co-worker Dr. Jean Vannier, will be finished in 1998.

Wei Min joined the project on Devonian biotic community and its environmental significance from southwestern margin of Yangtze Platform.

Yang Fan studied the geological range and the palaeoecology of the Quaternary ostracode species from the Qaidam Basin in Qinghai Province. In 1998 I intend to make the research for the revisions of nomenclature and descriptions of new ostracode species or genera.

Zhao Quan-Hong is continuously working on (1) modern and Quaternary Ostracoda of China Seas, (2) Cenozoic Ostracoda of west Pacific DSDP cores, (3) shell chemistry of Paleogene ostracods from oil-bearing basins of East China and its implication in paleoenvironmental reconstruction. He has gone to Germany since last November 27th for a 6-month cooperative research with the Geological-Paleontological Institute of University of Kiel on modern and late Quaternary Ostracoda of the Sunda Shelf of the South China Sea.

Zhou Bao-Cun is continuing work with Q. Zhao on the development of ostracod database for China seas. This involves the taxonomic and ecological study of modern ostracod fauna and quantitative analysis of paleoenvironments. I am also interested in the impact of pollution on the ostracods of Shanghai area, and a preliminary research with my colleague is underway.
Paper in press: Zhou, B. and Zhao, Q., 1998, Allochthonous ostracods in the South China Sea and their significance in indicating downslope sediment contamination: Marine Geology.

Fernando Munoz-Torres works in stratigraphy petroleum exploration activities linked to Biostratigraphy Laboratory. The Ph.D thesis "Neogene non-marine ostracods from the Upper Amazon Basin" continues in development. Professor R.C. Whatley is the supervisor. The study in progress is "Tertiary Ostracoda of the Lower Magdalena Valley, NW from Colombia".

Valentina Hajek-Tadesse continues her study on Neogene ostracods, especially the Badenian, Sarmatian, and Pannonian from the Pannonian Basin. She is preparing work for MS. degree on Badenian ostracods, which should be finished this year. In the last few years she studied freshwater Miocene ostracods from Croatia, Recent ostracodes of the Adriatic Sea, and Pleistocene ostracods of Greece. The results of this study were published.

Mirjana Miknic is working on paleogeology and biostratigraphy of the Neogene ostracods and foraminifers. No publications have resulted to date.

Djurdjica Pezelj is starting to study Neogene ostracods from Croatia.

Ana Sokac is working on Neogene and Quaternary ostracods from the Pannonian Basin and Recent ostracods and foraminifers of the Adriatic Sea. In the last few years she published papers on Pontian ostracods in Croatia, Holocene ostracods from Plitvaca Lakes, and Recent ostracods and foraminifers of the Adriatic Sea.

Jan Kantorek is continuing his work on freshwater Ostracoda.

Jirka Kopecky continues the study of the ecology of living ostracods in several types of pools.

Miroslav Mruta sent no report this year.

Jaromir Zelenka is continuing his work on Neogene marine and brackish water ostracodes.

Ashraf M.T. Elewa is currently working on Miocene ostracods of the southeastern Mediterranean, first records from south Wadi Um Ashtan, Mersa Matruh, Western Desert, Egypt.
In press: Elewa, A.M.T., Fourier biometrics: A case study of two species of the ostracode genus Bairdoppilata from the middle Eocene of Egypt: Neues Jahrbuch fur Geologie and Palaontologie Abhandlungen, Stuttgart. Submitted: (1) Elewa, A.M.T., Effect of allochthonous components in the accuracy of results: An example from the Eocene ostracods of Wadi El Rayan, Fayoum, Egypt: Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, Amsterdam; (2) Elewa, A.M.T., Analysis of shape changes through ontogeny: The ostracod genus Loxoconcha (Loxoconchidae): Journal of Paleontology; (3) Elewa, A.M.T., Ostracod assemblages around the lower/middle Eocene boundary in the Nile Valley, Egypt: Neues Jahrbuch fur Geologie und Palaontologie Abhandlungen, Stuttgart.

Tonu Meidla is working on (1) the lower Ordovician ostracodes and formation of the Ordovician ostracode fauna in Baltoscandia; (2) the mid-Caradocian event and related faunal changes; (3) th3 latest Ordovician ostracodes and stable isotope record of the shell material.
In press: (1) Ainsaar, L., Martma, T., Meidla, T., Rubel, M., and Sidaraciene, N., The Quantitative stratigraphy of sedimentary sequences: a key study of the middle Ordovician event, in Computerized modeling of sedimentary systems: Springer Verlag; (2) Poldvere, A., Kleesment, A., Saadre, T., Meidla, T., Bauert, H., Bauert, G., Stouge, S., Paalits, I., and Valiukevicius, J., Tartu core, Estonian geological sections: Geol. Surv. Estonia Spec. Paper.
Students: Oive Tinn, Ph.D student working on early Ordovician ostracodes from Baltoscandia.

Bernard Andreu is working on (1) Lias and Dogger from the "Grands Causses", France, (2) Callovian to Oxfordian from Portugal, (3) Callovian-Oxfordian and Cretaceous from High Atlas, Morocco, (4) Late Cretaceous from Pyrenees, France.
Projects: (1) Synthesis on ostracode assemblages from the Late Cretaceous of Agadir and Essaouira Basins, Morocco, (2) ostracode assemblages from the Lias-Dogger and Cretaceous of Pyrenees, France.
Long-term project: Synthesis on ostracode assemblages from the Cretaceous of Moroccobiostratigraphy, paleoecology, Palaeobiogeography

Jean-Francois Babinot is working on (1) Aptian ostracodes (stratotypes, Lower/Late Aptian crisis) from southeastern France, (2) Maestrichtian to Danian ostracode assemblages (Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary) from Mahajunga Basin, Malagasy Republic (with J.P. Colin, Cl. Guernet, G. Bignot), (3) Messinian basinal and carbonate platforms deposits from western Algeria, eastern Morocco, and southeastern Spain, (4) Neogene to Quaternary of Corsica (with M. Ferrandini, Corte Univ.).
Papers in press: (1) Babinot, J.F., Rodriguez-Lazaro, J., Floquet, M., and Jolet, P., Correlations entre discontinuites sedimentaires majeures et crises biologiques chez les ostracodes du Sud-Ouest de l'Europe au Cenomanien: Actes 3 Coll. Europeen d'Ostracodologie, Paris-Bierville (8-12 Juillet 1996), Bull. Centres Rech. Explor.-Prod. Elf-Aquitaine, Pau; (2) Babinot, J.F.and Boukli-Hacenes, S., Associations d'ostracodes en facies mixtes de plateforme: l'exemple du Messinien de la region nord des Tessala (Oranie, Algerie): Rev. Micropal.; (3) Babinot, J.F., Colin, J.P., and Rodriguez-Lazaro, J., Ostracodes-Cretace, in Synthese geologique des Pyrenees: B.R.G.M. and I.G.M.E., ed.; (4) Colin, J.P., Babinot, J.F., and Tambareau, Y., On the genera Nucleolina Apostolescu and Deroo, 1966, Ekkehardia and Ducassella nov. gen. (Ostracoda): taxonomy, biostratigraphy and Palaeobiogeography: Greifswalder Geowissenschaftliche Beitrage; (5) Jolet, P., Philip, J., Thomel, G., Lopez, G., Tronchetti, G., and Babinot, J.F., Biostratigraphie integree plate-forme/ basin dans l;intervalle Cenomanien superiuerTuronien interieur en Provence: Rev. Paleobiologie.
Thesis supervision (collaboration): Soraya Boukly-Hacene, Messinian microfaunas from western Orania, Algeria: biostratigraphic and paleoenvironmental implications, comparisons with Messinian series of southeastern Spain.

Eric Braccini is conducting routine petroleum analyses. In addition, he is working on (1) palynology of Neogene from Guinea Gulf, (2) ostracodes from the presalt of Angola, (3) graphic correlations (synthesis) within Tertiary basins.

Giles Carbonnel The synthesis on Neogene (N7-N15) ostracods from Algeria is now available (see bibliography). It uses the concept of "heterochron" erected by Bertholon.
The whole ostracod list of his collection will be available with a windows database software at the end of the next year. It will be sent free of charge to every "ostracode research center".
In progress: preliminary data on Neogene ostracodes from Lebanon.
Thesis supervision: Ali Bachnou, Series de Fourier, visualization graphique de profils lateraux des ostracodes (avec choix des harmoniques), integration mathematique des differences, exploration de l'utilisation de ces methodes en systematique et phylogenie.
In press: Carbonnel, G., Epithelium et reseau ornemental, deformation primaire: exemples pris chez quelques especes d'ostracodes du genre Loxoconcha au Neogene: Rev. Micropal.

Jean-Paul Colin is working on: (1) Jurassic non-marine ostracodes from Brazil and central Zaire; (2) Aptian non-marine ostracodes from Portugal (in press with M.C. Cabral, Lisboa); (3) Albo-Aptian limnic ostracodes from intracratonic basins in Brazil and Chad (in press with F. Depeche); (4) Late Cretaceous ostracodes from Mexico (with Y. Tambareau; (5) Late Cretaceous to Paleocene ostracodes from Mali and Pakistan (with Y. Tambareau); (6) Intra-trappean limnic ostracodes from India (with A. Bandari, Dehar Dun, India); (7) SAMC (IGCP Project) coordinator for South Atlantic Mesozoic marine ostracodes.
Papers in press: (1) Colin, J.P. and Depeche, F., Early Cretaceous lacustrine ostracode faunas of intra-cratonic basins of West Africa and Brazil: palaeobiogeographical considerations: SAMC News, 1 p.; (2) Colin, J.P., Tambareau, Y., and Krasheninnikov, V., Maastrichtian and Paleocene ostracode assemblages from Mali (western Africa): Dela Opera SAZU, Ljubljana (Slovenia).

Sylvie Crasquin-Soleau is working on (1) Upper Permian of the Huqf Formation (Sultanate of Oman): systematics, paleoecology and paleobiogeographic implications; (2) Lower Triassic of Dobrogea (Romania): systematics and paleoecology; (3) Upper Permian to Lower Triassic of Cis-Ural/Peri Caspian Depression (with I. Molostovskaya, D. Kukhtinov); (4) Recent from New Guinea (with K. Wouters).
Papers in press: (1) Crasquin-Soleau, S. and Baud, A., New Permian ostracods of Greece (Hydra Island): Jour. Micropal.; (2) Crasquin-Soleau, S., Broutin, J., Roger, J., Platel, J.P., Angolini, L., Baud, A., Bucher, H., Al Hasmi, A., and Marcoux, J., First ostracode fauna from the Upper Permian of Oman (Khuff Formation): Micropaleontology; (3) Said-Benzarti, R. and Crasquin-Soleau, S., Les ostracodes du Permien superieur de Tunisie reconnu en subsurface, in Crasquin-Soleau, S., Braccini, E., and Lethiers, F., eds., What about Ostracoda?: 3rd Congres Europeen d'Ostracodologie: Bull. Centres Rech. Explor.-Prod. Elf Aquitaine; (4) Crasquin-Soleau, S., Broutin, J., Besse, J., and Torco, F., Paleobiogeographical and paleogeographical significance of ostracods and paleobotanical evidence from the Upper Permian of Oman: Marine Micropaleontology.
Edited volumes in press: (1) Crasquin-Soleau, S. and Barrier, E., eds., Peri-Tethys Memoire 3: Stratigraphy and evolution of Peri-Tethyan platforms: Memoire Mus. Nat. Hist., Paris; (2) What about Ostracoda?, 3rd Congres Europeen des Ostracodologists (Paris Bierville, 1996): Bull. Centres Rech. Explor.-Prod. Elf Aquitaine, Pau.


Uli von Grafenstein is a geologist by education, did a doctoral thesis on sand transport in marine shallow water, and learned about ostracods while looking for proper material for stable isotope work on lake sediments. Since 1988, has been working on modern, subfossil, and fossil fresh-water ostracods in pre-alpine lakes, with the aim to reconstruct palaeoclimate and palaeohydrology of the last 15,000 years.
During 1997 he continued a sabbatical with LMCE, a very motivating agglomeration of palaeoclimatologists, climate modelers, and atmospheric scientists, and he spent a considerable time of the year explaining what ostracods are. Besides, he was dealing with a highly resolved sediment sequence from Ammersee (southern Germany), picking late-glacial and early Holocene benthic freshwater ostracods. The stable isotope measurements are in progress, first results very promising. I continued to work on lake sediments from SW-Germany (Collaboration with Prof. J. Schneider, University Gottingen) and from Switzerland (with Prof. B. Ammann, Bern).
In press: (1) U. v. Grafenstein, H. Erlenkeuser, and P. Trimborn, Oxygen and carbon isotopes in modern freshwater ostracod valves: calibration of vital effects and autecological effects for palaeoclimatic studies: Paleo3; (2) U. v. Grafenstein, H. Erlenkeuser, J. Miller, J. Jouzel, and S. Johnsen, The short period 8,200 years ago documented in oxygen isotope records of precipitation in Europe and Greenland: Climate Dynamics; (3) H. Erlenkeuser and U. v. Grafenstein, Stable oxygen isotope ratios in benthic carbonate shells of Ostracoda, Foraminifera, and Bivalvia from surface sediments of the Laptev Sea, summer 1993 and 1994: Zeitschrift fur Polarforschung.

Claude Guernet is working on (1) bathyal ostracodes from Paleocene to Recent in the Atlantic Ocean; (2) Paleogene ostracodes from the Tethyan area; (3) Paleocene ostracodes from Madagascar (with J.F. Babinot, J.P. Colin, G. Bignot).
Papers in press: (1) Guernet, Cl., Bioevenements et ostracodes du Maastrichtien au Rupelien dans les bassins du Nord-Ouest de l'Europe: Sonder. Geol. Inst. Univ. Koln; (2) Guernet, Cl., Neogene and Pleistocene ostracodes of sites 959 and 960, Gulf of Guinea: Proc. Init. Report ODP, Part B; (3_ Chait, R., Dauvin, J.Cl., and Guernet, Cl., Les ostracodes de la Baie de Seine: Geobios.
Thesis supervision: Rafika Chait, Ostracode distribution on the Atlantic and Mediterranean borderlands in France and Morocco.
Francis Lethiers is working on Devonian to Permian ostracode faunas; biostratigraphy, palaeogeography, and palaeoecology, with special emphasis on Frasnian/Famennian and Devonian/Carboniferous events.
Papers in press: (1) Casier, J.G. and Lethiers, F., Les Ostracodes du Frasnien terminal (Zone a Linguiformis des Conodontes) de la coupe du Col de Devils Gate (Nevada, U.S.A.): Bull. Inst. Royal Sc. Belgique; (2) Casier, J.G., Lethiers, F., and Babinot, F., L'extinction en masse du Devonien superieur: ostracodes et anoxie: 6th Congres francais de Sedimentologie, Montpellier; (3) Casier, J.G. and Lethiers, F., Ostracods Late Devonian extinction: the Schmidt quarry parastratotype (Kellerwald, Germany): C.R. Acad. Sci. Paris.

Pierre Marmonier is working on: (1) morphological variability in Cryptocandona kieferi and Cryptocandona vavrai from the Rhone, Rhine, and Danube Rivers catchments (with D. Danielopol, Mondsee and T. Namiotko, Poland); (2) ecology and systematics of shallow interstitial and deep groundwater ostracods from Morocco (with K. Essafi-Chergui, Fes Univ. and M. Yacoubi-Khebiza, Marrakech Univ.).
Papers in press: Marmonier, P., Creuze Des Chateliers, M., Dole-Olivier, M.J.,Plenet, S., and Gibert, J., Rhone groundwater systems, in Ecosystems of the world, subterranean biota (Wilkens, Culver and Humphreys, eds.), Elsevier.

Odette N'Zaba-Makaya is working on (1) comparative analysis of Domerian ostracode assemblages from south Quercy and West Grands-Causses: biostratigraphy, palaeobiogeography, sequence analysis, palaeoecology, correspondence analysis) (D.E.A., Toulouse Univ., 1996); (2) ostracode assemblages from the Carixian-Domerian (Pliensbachian) from Quercy and Grande-Causses, southern France (thesis).
Papers in press: Bonnet, L., Andreu, B., Rey, J., Cubaynes, R., Ruget, C., N'Zaba-Makaya, O., and Brunel, F., Fluctuations of environmental factors as seen in micropaleontological oryctocoenosis from liassic series: Palaios.

Henri J. Oertli continues abstracting of papers on Post-Paleozoic ostracodes for the "Zentralblatt fur Geologie und Palaontologie" (approx. 180 papers analyzed in 1997).
Thesis supervision: Jacques Sauvagnat (Geneva Univ., Switzerland) on Aptian-Albian ostracodes of the Swiss and French Jura Mountains.

Jacques Sauvagnat is working on Aptian to Albian ostracodes from the Jura Mountains (France, Switzerland) under the supervision of H.J. Oertli. Dissertation in progress with maintaining probably in the next future.

Yvette Tambareau is working on (1) continental, shallow marine and deep sea ostracodes of the Cretaceous/Tertiary transitional zone in southern France, northern Spain, and western Africa (with J.P. Colin, J. Rodriguez-Lazaro, J.F. Babinot); (2) Paleocene and lower Eocene ostracodes from Pakistan (with J.P. Colin); (3) Upper Cretaceous ostracodes from Mexico (with J.P. Colin); (4) ostracods and the Middle Eocene/Upper Eocene crisis among larger Foraminifera (GCP 393).

Jean Vannier visited K. Abe (Shizuoka) in June in the framework of a collaborative work on the biomechanics of feeding and the role of ostracodes in coastal food webs; D.J. Siveter (Leicester) in December to study Silurian myodocopes from Australia and southern China; A. Moguilevsky (Aberystwyth) to make an inventory of deep-sea preserved material (Gigantocypris); Wang Shang-Qi (Nanjing) spent one month with me (November, 1997) to study the functional morphology of leperditid ostracodes. I was editor of Europal, the newsletter of the European Palaeontological Association.
Current work includes working on the early colonization of pelagic niches by arthropods with M. Williams, D.J. Siveter, and other non-ostracodologist colleagues. We are using Recent analogues such as halocyprid ostracodes. I have planned to stay two years in Japan starting in January 1999 to work on the adaptations, biodiversity, and origin of pelagic crustaceans, exemplified by West Pacific midwater ostracodes (the project includes molecular studies). I will attend the 4th International Congress on Crustaceans (Amsterdam).
I am the new chairman of the IRGPO (International Research Group on Palaeozoic Ostracoda) since the Greenwich meeting last year in England.
In press: Vannier, J., Abe, K., and Ikuta, K., Feeding in myodocope ostracodes; functional morphology and laboratory observations from videos: Marine Biology.
Students: Maria Jose Salas (Cordoba, Argentina) is doing her Ph.D on Ordovician ostracodes from Argentina (systematics, biostratigraphy, palaeobiogeography) (co-supervised with Prof. Benedetto).

Guenther Arlt is working in a BMBF-Project about the significance of the meiofauna of the pelagial and benthal connections in the Baltic Sea. He is studying especially the activity of Cyprideis torosa in resuspension processes and its influence on particle structure.

Gerhard Becker continued work done in 1996: (1) the revision of the Treatise (Pt. Q, Paleozoic Ostracoda, revised), which is, however, found to be a difficult and long-lasting procedure; (2) studies on pelagic ostracods along the Devonian/Carboniferous boundary in Central and West Europe, which will be finished in 1998 (Cour. Forsch. Inst. Senckenberg, in press). The actual DFG Program "Faunenvergleich Rhenohercynikum-Saxothuringikum", established for the benefit of colleagues from the former DDR, was brought to an end; (3) the documentation of Devonian ostracods occurring in the neritic facies realm of the Cantabrian Mountains (N Spain). The first contribution dealing with the Lower Emsian of northern Leon has been submitted to the printer (Palaeontographica A). Although retired, some lectures in paleontology (preparation techniques, nomenclature, and selected micropalaeontological groups) are continued. At the occasion of the 12th ISO, a review was given of some 30 years research effort on the palaeoecology of marine Palaeozoic ostracods.

H. Blumenstengel is working on Devonian and lower Carboniferous ostracods, especially connected to the Thueringer Oekotyp and also Devonian shallow water faunas near the Baltic Sea island Ruegen. The work with Prof. Becker about the Rhenohercynicum/Saxothuringikum has been finished last year.

Claudia Didie is working on a Ph.D thesis entitled "Characterizing of glacial deep-water masses in polar latitudes by means of ostracod faunas and their stable isotopes during the Late Quaternary" In order to evaluate the reaction of deep-sea benthic ostracods to late Quaternary climate change, two sediment cores from the Iceland Plateau and the Racal Plateau were investigated. Both cores cover the past 200ka. Significant changes in the ostracod assemblage are thought to reflect changes in the deep-water formation. Some species are used for stable isotope measurements. Comparison of two cores from the South Atlantic spanning the same time period will be investigated as well.

Gerson Fauth is currently working on (1) Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary Ostracoda from the Poty Quarry section, northeastern Brazil, and (2) Cretaceous Ostracoda from James Ross Island, Antarctic Peninsula.

Peter Frenzel will defend his dissertation on Foraminifera of the Lower Maastrichtian of Ruegen.

Roland Fuhrmann is still studying Recent and Quaternary freshwater ostracods.

Hans-Juergen Hahn tries to keep up with ostracod research, but is working mainly on soil acidity in forests.

Joachim Harloff Interests include Mesozoic and Recent ostracods and shape analysis of ostracod valves. He is still looking for a new position in science.

Finn Heinrich At the end of 1995, I started to get into methods and material. I took samples from some selected ponds and lakes around Greifswald. Determining population density of podocopes and relation to chemical parameters until now. Current work in progress: continuing my studies and looking for some more parameters influencing the population.

Ekkehard Herrig is continuing his work on taxonomy, biostratigraphy, palaeobiology, and palaeoecology of Upper Cretaceous ostracods, especially from Pleistocene erratics.

Horst Janz keeps on with the research on ostracods (Recent-Tertiary). He has visited K. Abe and worked there on Recent freshwater ostracods. As a member of the special research cooperation on Climate of the University in Tuebingen, he investigates Tertiary ostracods geochemically on isotopes of oxygen and strontium.

Eugen K. Kempf is now retired, but he is trying to continue his work on the "Cologne Database of Ostracoda". To be successful with this attempt, it is more than ever necessary that all ostracodologists give support and send reprints of their ostracod papers soon after publication. Cordial thanks to all those who did so in the past. Unpublished parts of the database will be sent in exchange for reprints, as far or as soon as those are available. In 1997, volumes 6 to 9 of "Index and Bibliography of Nonmarine Ostracoda" were brought into their final state and published. Now 18 volumes are published from the "Cologne Database Ostracoda". The 12 index volumes are listing together over 65,500 names under which ostracod taxa have been described. Within the 6 bibliography volumes, over 11,500 reliable references are published.

Renate Matzke-Karasz is waiting for a decision on a research funding application. In the meantime, she keeps doing some ostracod homework, and would like to thank all those colleagues protecting her from complete scientific isolation by keeping contact via mail and E-Mail. In February, 1998, a short paper on Zenker's organs of Cypridoidea has been published in the Festschrift for Professor E.K. Kempf. (For those who happen to read it, pictures two and three have been mixed up.)

Dietmar Keyser continues his work of the Aral Sea Project and finished work together with Dr. Nagorskaja (Minsk) on a project about ostracods of Belorussia. Together with C. Schoening he is working on terrestrial ostracods of Africa and Holocene ostracods from Bermuda.

Karina Kussius continued her doctoral thesis on ostracods of the Upper Jurassic of the eastern Iberian Basin.

Peter Luger is housed at the Technical University of Berlin as a "visiting scientist". Special interests are predominantly marine Ostracoda from the Jurassic through Paleogene of Africa and Arabia. Presently I am working on Cretaceous Ostracoda from Somalia (Barremian: Wealden-type; Aptian-Cenomanian, ?Campanian-Maastrichtian) shallow marine as part of my habilitation thesis (which will also include the foraminifers of the time-slice).

Renate Matzke-Karasz is waiting for a decision on a research funding application. In the meantime, she keeps doing some ostracod homework, and would like to thank all those colleagues protecting her from complete scientific isolation by keeping contact via mail and E-Mail. In February, 1998, a short paper on Zenker's organs of Cypridoidea was been published in the Festschrift for Professor E.K. Kempf. (For those who happen to read it, pictures two and three have been mixed up.) She continues her work on Scottia, Psychodromus, Cyclocypris, and Mesocypris.

Wolfgang Mette works on the ostracods of the Koessener strata (Steinplatte Riff, Tirol) and Zlambach Upper Triassic clays. He plans to study the facies/paleoecology of the Kassianer strata (Dolomits, Upper Triassic) soon.

Steffen Mischke graduated from the Institute of Geography at the Free University of Berlin. Following some sedimentological investigations in the Gobi region of northwestern China, I will focus now on investigations of Pleistocene and Holocene ostracodes from Central Asia in order to reconstruct the history of environment and climate. Up to now, Pleistocene ostracodes are collected from dried-up lakes and swamps at the northern margin of the Radain Jaran Sand Sea and in addition, I got some ostracodes from modern lakes in the southern part of the sand sea and from northern Mongolia for determination. Because there is not a lot of published work about Neogene and Quaternary ostracodes from Central Asia, I am interested in an exchange not only of information about ostracode taxonomy and palaeoclimatic studies, but also of specimens from this region.

Nasser Mostafawi is currently working on Neogene ostracods from Aegean Islands. His other research activities include studies on marine ostracods from (1) Upper Oligocene of Hildesheim (northern Germany) and (2) Recent of northern Norway (with A. Freimald, Bremen).

Dirk Nuernberg is performing chemical analyses of different water masses and geochemical studies on benthic microfossils from the Mediterranean outflow area in order to test whether the Mediterranean Outflow Water (MOW) exhibits a typical inorganic chemical fingerprint, which is reflected in the valve chemistry of benthic ostracods. Such approach tests the potential of earth alkali metals within microfossil skeletons to spatially and temporally reconstruct oceanographic changes. During RV METEOR expedition M39/1, water samples from the Gulf of Cadiz and the western Iberian continental margin were investigated for Sr, Mg, and Ca by ICP-OES. The chemical signature was subsequently compared to the Sr/Ca and Mg/Ca ratios of benthic ostracod valves (Henryhowella, Krithe) from corresponding core-top locations. Analyses were performed by ICP-OES and CAMECA electron microprobe. Within the Gulf of Cadiz, the high salinity MOW is characterized by enhanced Mg, Ca, and Sr concentrations. Along the western Iberian continental margin, MOW intruding in between the North Atlantic Central Water (NACW) and the North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) can still be traced by high earth alkali metal concentrations. For all water masses mentioned, a linear relationship between salinity and earth alkali metals is manifested as is supported by theoretical considerations. The distinct inorganic-chemical fingerprint of the MOW was initially assumed to cause a clear geochemical signal in benthic ostracods living under this hydrographic regime. Our study shows that neither vertical variations in both seawater Mg and Sr concentrations nor in salinity affect the valve chemistry of ostracods. It is, however, apparent that Krithe from "cold" sites located within the NADW are significantly lower in Mg than specimens from overlying, warmer water masses. Similar to Mg in Krithe, the Sr content of Henryhowella recovered from deep and relatively cold sites within the NADW is significantly depleted in Sr. Our study reveals that differences in bottom water temperature of ca 300C can be resolved by the Mg content in specific ostracod species. Further, MOW and NADW can be clearly distinguished by their ostracod Sr content. The study is funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), which is our national funding agency.
Current work in progress: We currently continue with core top Bythocypris from the Portuguese continental margin. Beside wet chemical studies by ICP-OES, microprobe investigations are performed in order to detect intraspecific and interspecific differences. In addition, downcore geochemical studies of ostracods from selected sites within the MOW, from the transitional zone between MOW and NADW, and from the deep NADW are in progress. These studies are supposed to spatially and temporally constrain MOW and NADW distribution patterns.
Students and thesis topics: (1) Anja Mueller, graduate student, diploma in chemistry; (2) Lineke deJong, undergraduate student, environmental science.

Erika Pietrzeniuk is working on ostracods from Jurassic clays from East Africa and Holocene freshwater ostracods in Jakutia.

Gerhard Roedder works on Tertiary marine ostracods from northern and western Europe. The topic of his research is quantitative paleoecology with special interest in sampling problems and clearing up inaccuracies of observation. In the field of synecology, he is busy with methods of paleocommunity descriptions. Concerning autecology, interest is directed to preferences of widely distributed species with reference to variations in shell morphology and dimension as well as shell chemistry and its dependence on ambient environmental conditions and diagenesis. Besides, he works on methods quantifying the geographical distribution of fossil taxa and problems concerning the completeness of the fossil record on the large scale. He started to work on Upper Silurian ostracods from the Beyrichianchalk sequence.

Burkhard Scharf has continued to work on living freshwater ostracods of the Elbe River and Oder River. He finished a work on the paleolimnology, including Ostracoda, of the ancient saline Lake Salziger See in the eastern part of Germany.

Carol Schoening continues her work on the ostracods of Bermuda together with Ruediger Vollbrecht and D. Keyser. She also works with D. Keyser on terrestrial ostracods of Africa.

Kristian Schoning is a graduate student at the Department of Quaternary Research, Stockholm University, Sweden. I am working with Quaternary ostracods, concentrating on marine environments. Current works are: (1) calcareous fossils of the Baltic Sea Yoldia stage with Stefan Wastegerd, including stable isotopes and shell chemistry; (2) changes in the ostracod fauna during the Holocene in the Baltic Sea; (3) marine stratigraphy and tephrochronology at the Younger Dryas/Preboreal transition in western Sweden with Stefan Wastegerd.

Michael Schudack continues research on ostracods, charophytes, and foraminifers. Main current activities on ostracods include (1) Late Jurassic in Europe (with K. Kussius and U. Schudack, Berlin), East Africa (Tendaguru Formation, with E. Petrezniuk, Berlin) and North America (Morrison Formation, with F. Peterson, Denver), and (2) Holocene of Satonda Crater Lake (with J. Reitner, Gottingen). Main focus (depending on the project) is on biostratigraphy, paleoecology, biogeography, paleoclimatology, and shell geochemistry. Future projects: Cenozoic ostracods from the Baikal Rift (as part of the German special research program "Evolution in ancient lakes: a key to the understanding of biodiversity".)
In press: Schudack, M., Turner, C., and Peterson, F., Biostratigraphy, paleoecology, and biogeography of charophytes and ostracodes from the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation, Western Interior, U.S.A.: Modern Geology.
Thesis supervision: (1) Late Jurassic ostracods from eastern Spain (K. Kussius), (2) Rhaetian ostracods from northern Germany (K. Oppermann), and (3) Quaternary ostracods from lakes in the Gobi Desert (S. Mischke).

Ulla Schudack has almost finished research on the marine and non-marine ostracods from northern Spain. She is currently carrying out some consulting work on Jurassic boreholes in northern Germany.

Joerg Schwarzkopf continues her work on the ostracods and foraminifers of Cenozoic and Mesozoic times of northwestern Germany, especially about their value for the applied micropalaeontology (stratigraphy and evaluation of palaeobathymetry).

Henning Uffenorde finished a study on the ostracod biozonation and event stratigraphy of Early Miocene sections from the Peel Horst (SE Netherlands), the North German Basin, and the Danish Subbasin (SW Denmark). In this study, ostracod levels at the Oligocene/Miocene boundary were redefined and several deep water ostracod events within the Early Miocene were distinguished in order to trace some of the major maximum flooding surfaces.
In press: Uffenorde, H., Untermiozaene Ostracoden-Faunen, ein vergleich niederlaendischer profile: Greifswalder Geowiss. Beitraege (Festschrift Prof. Herrig).

Agnes Wiehofen Shell morphology of limnocytherids from the Miocene is still the topic of her research.

Rosaline H. Weiss continues her studies of marine Oligocene ostracods from Germany. She finished editorial work on the volume "Festschrift Eugen Karl Kempf" appeared in December 1997. She investigated the genus Muellerina from the Upper Oligocene, Germany. The results are presented in the volume mentioned above.

I. Zagora, K. Zagora are continuing their biostratigraphical and paleoecological research of the Paleozoic (especially Devon) of Ruegen and NE Germany and are very interested in works of paleoecological colleagues.

Fed-Karsten Ziegler works on Tertiary marine ostracods from northern and eastern Europe. The topic of his research is quantitative paleoecology with special interest in sampling problems and clearing up inaccuracies in observation. In the field of synecology, he is busy with methods of paleocommunity description. Concerning autecology, interest is directed to preferences of widely distributed species with reference to variations in shell morphology and dimension as well as shell chemistry and its dependence on ambient environmental conditions and diagenesis. His biostratigraphical attention is focused on a Lower Tertiary species. Besides, he works on methods quantifying the geographical distribution of fossil taxa.

D. Zissler works on the ultrastructure of the reproductive system of Crustacea and Insecta. His special interest is with ostracods.

Stelios Galoukas is working on (1) Late Cenozoic paleogeography of Vatera area (Lesvos Island, Greece). The manuscript will be sent for publication in 1998. It reconstructs Late Cenozoic paleoenvironments of the Vatera area based on the study mainly of ostracodes (limnic) but also taking into account the accompanying fauna and the sedimentological data of the samples. (2) Study of Recent ostracodes from Siggitikos Gulf (north Greece). Recent and subrecent marine ostracode faunas were given to me by Dr. V. Tsapralis. Their study will focus on the information they are able to provide concerning the water circulation and the currents inside this gulf.

A. Kiss is studying ostracods of recent lakes.

A. Szuromi-Korecz is studying marine, marine-brackish, and limno-brackish fauna from Hungary.

H. Kozur is studying Carboniferous to Liassic ostracods of the Tethys, and soft parts of Triassic ostracods.

M. Monostori is studying (1) Eocene ostracods and their Palaeoecology in Hungary; (2) Oligocene ostracods from Hungary and their paleoecology; (3) Cretaceous marine and nonmarine ostracods from Hungary; (4) Jurassic marine ostracods from Hungary; and (5) Triassic marine and nonmarine ostracods from Hungary.

S.K. Battish remained busy in reviewing work on the recent freshwater Ostracoda of India, the manuscript of the paper is being given final touches. Starting the Sowerby's publication of 1840, there have been approximately a hundred papers on the subject, dealing with 194 species belonging to 40 genera known to date. These species include 98 taxa newly described and 23 species left indeterminate. The state-wise distribution of the taxa worked out from the Republic of India shows that a maximum number of genera (20) have been described from the State of Punjab, followed by Tamil Nadu (18). The maximum number of species are known again from Punjab (45) followed by Maharashtra (40). The least number of species (one) has been reported from Assam. It is really surprising that from the States of Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, and Uttar Pradesh, no species have been reported so far. Likewise the Union territories having no ostracod records are: Andaman and Nicobar, Dadar and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, and Lakshdweep Islands.

Anil Bhandari is finalizing the "Atlas of Early and Middle Miocene ostracodes of Western Indian Basins. Current work includes (1) Post-Paleozoic stratigraphic index of ostracodes of India (with Dr. S.C. Khosla, M.L. Sukhadia, University of Udaipur); (2) study of Recent Ostracoda from the deltaic sub environment and shallow inner shelf, east coast of India.
Papers in press: (1) Bhandar, A. and Colin, J.P., Limnic ostracodes from the Inter-Trappean sediments (uppermost Maastrichtian-basal Paleocene) near Anjar, Kchchh, Gujarat State, India: taxonomy, paleoecology, and paleobiogeographic al affinities: Rev. Micropaleon.; (2) Bhandar, A., Early Paleocene Ostracoda biostratigraphy of West Bengal Basin, India: XVI Indian Coll. Micropal., Paris; (3) Bhandari, A. and Raju, D.S.N., Paleogene biofacies, paleoecology and sea level fluctuations in CambayTampur block, India: XVI Ind. Colloq. Micropal. Strat., Goa.

Sunit Gupta was earlier working on Jurassic foraminifers from the Kachchh region during my Ph.D work. A good number of ostracods were collected during the last investigation, hence I initiated work on Jurassic ostracode faunas. For this I have been awarded a Young Scientist Project from the Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India, New Delhi, with the title "Biostratigraphic and paleoecologic significance of Jurassic ostracods from Kachchh, western India".
Current work is on samples collected from the mainland Kachchh, Gujarat, western India.

S.C. Khosla is working in collaboration with Anil Bhandari and M.L. Nagori preparing an Atlas of Miocene Ostracodes of Western and Southern India. This should be ready by the end of this year. He is also working on the publication of Stratigraphic Index ostracodes of post-Paleozoic formations f India, for which he is seeking active cooperation with all concerned ostracode workers.
A paper on Costobuntonia, a new ostracode genus from the Inter-trappean beds of east coast of India, is in hand and will be submitted for publication shortly.

U.B. Mallikarjuna successfully completed the Young Scientist Project on ostracode fauna and charophyte flora-based biostratigraphy and palaeoenvironmental analysis of Gondwana Formations of the Peninsular India sponsored by the DST, New Delhi. He worked on ostracode assemblages from Kota (Liassic), Dalmiapuram (Aptian-Albian) and Sivaganga (Neocomian) Formations. Biostratigraphic zones based on ostracodes in the Kota Formation are identified and correlated with the ostracode zones elsewhere. The earlier described ostracodes from Dalmiapuram is revised and brought up to date.
Current work: (1) biostratigraphy, paleoecology and Palaeobiogeography of the South India marine Cretaceous ostracodes, (2) Cretaceous non-marine ostracodes of Southern India; biostratigraphic and paleobiogeographic implications, (3) Jurassic freshwater ostracodes from the Kota Formation, Pranhita-Godavari Valley; biostratigraphic and paleoecologic implications.
In press papers: Ostracodes of the Maastrichtian from the Vridhachalam area, Tamil Nadu, South India: Contributions to XVIth Ind. Colloq. on Micropal. and Strat., Goa (submitted with S. Sugumuran and H.M. Nagajara).

M.S. Mannikeri is continuing studies on Jurassic and Palaeogene marine and nonmarine microfauna of western Rajasthan. Also supervising a CSIR-funded Research Associate programme. He attended and gave a keynote address "Role of Ostracoda in micropalaeontological research" at the XVI Indian Colloquium on Micropalaeontology and Stratigraphy held at N.I. O. Goa from 22-25 January, 1998.
He is supervising a Ph.D. programme of Mr. A.S. Yadav, entitled "Recent Ostracoda from backwaters and their environs of Kerala Coast, India".

S.P. Mohan Ms. A. Mini Kumari has submitted her Ph.D thesis entitled "Systematics, distribution, and ecology of Recent Ostracoda from off Mahabalipuram, near Madras, Tamil Nadu, South India", in May, 1997.

H.M. Nagaraj is working on the project entitled "Ostracodes from the Cretaceous-Tertiary succession of the Cauvery Basin, South India". One of the students, Mr. S. Sugumaran, has prepared a thesis for submission for the award of Ph.D degree with the title "Geologic studies of the Cretaceous-Tertiary succession of the Vridhachalam area, Tamil Nadu, South India". We are currently engaged on ostracodes of the Upper Cretaceous of Thanjavur areas in Tamil Nadu, South India.
I and my students Mr. S. Sugumaran and U.B. Mallikarjuna participated and presented research papers at the following conferences: XVI Indian Colloquium on Micropaleontology and Stratigraphy, Goa, January 1998 and XI Indian Geological Congress, Mysore, February 1998.
Papers in press: (1) S. Sugumaran, H.M. Nagaraj, and U.B. Mallikarjuna, Ostracodes of the Maastrichtian from the Vridhachalam area, Tamil Nadu, South India: Proceedings of the XVI ICMS, Goa; (2) S. Sugumaran and H.M. Nagaraj, Ostracode biozonation, paleoecology and zoogeography of the Cretaceous Tertiary succession of the Vridhachalam, Tamil Nadu, South India: Journal of the Geological Society of India.

Pratap Singh is actively engaged in the study of Tertiary ostracods of the Indian basins. Current work includes the study of Tertiary ostracods of Jammu, Rajasthan, and Kachchh areas in progress and will be submitted for publication in the near future. Dr. Singh will be retiring on January 21, 1998 and will be settling at Lucknow in April, 1998. He plans to continue his work on Ostracoda.
In press: (1) Singh, P., Porwal, D.K., and Joshi, V.P., Eocene ostracods and their significance in depositional history in subsurface sequence of Broach-Jambusar Block. The paper deals with the freshwater and marine ostracods of deltaic freshwater-brackish and marine subsurface sequence of the Broach-Jambusar Block, Cambay Basin, Gujurat, India. Of 30 species of ostracods, 14 species are new. These species belong to genera Bairdia, Bairdoppilata, Bythocypris, Candona, Paracypris, Phlyctenophora, , Ovocytheridea, Neocyprideis, Krithe, Cytheropteron, Cytheridella, Paijenborchella, Alocopocythere, Paracosta, Cytherella, and Frambocythere. The various palaeodepositional environments are identified. (2) Palaeogene ostracods from the Cambay-Tarapur Block, Cambay Basin, Gujurat, India. The Palaeogene subsurface sequence of the Cambay-Tarapur Block, Cambay Basin, Gujurat, India, has yielded a fairly rich assemblage of ostracods represented by 39 species, including 22 new species. Two new genera of ostracods, Ganeshella and Shankarella, are being proposed.

Aurn. S. Vaidya is presently continuing studies on Quaternary marine and brackish (estuary) and nonmarine ostracodes and foraminifers from India. He attended and presented a paper entitled "Recent Ostracoda from beach sands along Goa coast, India" at the XVI Indian Colloquium on Micropalaeontology and Stratigraphy held at N.I.O. Goa from 22-25 January, 1998.

J.M. Al-Bashir is continuing her work on Cretaceous and Tertiary ostracodes in the Oil Exploration Company.

Saleh K. Khalaf continued his work on Recent, Tertiary, and Cretaceous Ostracoda from Iraq.
In press: Salah K. Khalaf and Sanad A. Al-Khashab, The paleogeographic distribution of the Late Cretaceous Ostracoda of Tanuma Formation in Iraq.
Published papers (Authors not provided): (1) Ecology of Recent Ostracoda from Khor Al-Zubair Channel, southern Iraq; (2) New ostracode taxa of the Iraqi Middle Miocene; (3) The Family Trachyleberididae from the Middle Miocene of northern Iraq; (4) The paleoecology of Avanah Formation (Middle Eocene), northern Iraq.
Students and thesis topics: (1) W.Y. Abdullah, Ph.D student, is investigating middle Cretaceous Ostracoda from souther Iraq; (2) S.A. Al-Khashab, Ph.D student, investigating upper Jurassic-lower Cretaceous Ostracoda from different localities in Iraq.

Sanad Al-Khashab finished his first year courses of the Ph.D degree, and is now trying to get samples from the Oil Exploration Company. Because of some problems, my research for Ph.D will be on formations from Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous from selecting boreholes in Iraq, instead of the Cenozoic as mentioned in Cypris 1997.
S.S. Al-Sheikhly continues his work on Recent and Cretaceous Ostracoda from Iraq.
Students and thesis topics: K. Hassan, Ph.D student is writing his thesis on the stratigraphy of Cretaceous in the Iraqi Western Desert.

Amnon Rosenfeld and Avraham Honigstein are continuing work on Mesozoic-Eocene faunas of Israel. The taxonomic part of the Eocene ostracode study from southern Israel is now complete, and they are waiting for the foraminiferal results and will then submit the paper. Both attended the ISO97 in Chatham and presented a talk about Plio-Pleistocene ostracode faunas from southern Israel paleo-lakes. Currently they are working on the Bibliography of Paleontological Works from Israel and Jordan.
In press: Rosenfeld, A. and Honigstein, A., Kimmeridgian ostracodes from the Haluza Formation in Israel: Revista Espanola de Micropaleontologia.

Giuseppe Aiello, Diana Barra, Giocchino Bonaduce are working on bathyal Plio-Pleistocene of Sicily.
G. Bonaduce, D. Barra are studying some brackish assemblages of the Pliocene of Southern Italy. G. Bonaduce is presently working on the Messinian "sea-lake" ostracods of Sicily.
G. Aiello completed his Ph.D thesis on Tortonian-Early Pliocene ostracods of western Calabria (southern Italy) and he continues to work on this material.
In press: (1) Bonaduce, G., Barra, D., and Aiello, G., The genus Henryhowella Puri, 1957 (Crustacea, Ostracoda) in the Atlantic-Mediterranean from Miocene to Recent: Boll. Soc. Paleont. Ital.; (2) Bonaduce, G., Barra, D., and Aiello, G., The areal and bathymetrical distribution of the genus Henryhowella Puri (Ostracoda) in the Gulf of Naples: Bull. Soc. Elf Aquitaine; (3) Barra, D., Bonaduce, G., and Sgarrella, F., Paleoenvironmental bottom water conditions in the early Zanclian of the Capo Rossello area (Agrigento, Sicily): Boll. Soc. Paleontol. Ital.

Giorgio Benassi is working on the ecology and taxonomy of planktic ostracods with Irene Ferrari, Sandra Sei and Ken McKenzie in different projects: National Project P.N.R.A. in Antarctica (Ross Sea); International Project P.N.R.A. in the Magellan Straits; National Project EOCUMM95 (CoNISMa) in the Mediterranean Sea (off the Eolian Islands).

Alessandro Bossio is continuing his research on the Neogene Ostracoda of Tuscany and of the Salentina Peninsula (Apulia). Presently he is working on the documentation of the ostracofaunas of the formations present in the geological map of the eastern Salentina Peninsula, published at the beginning of 1998 (Lenghian-Lower Pleistocene).

Barbara Dall'Antonia is working on her Ph.D thesis. She is currently studying the early middle Miocene Ostracoda of the Iberian Foreland.

Costanza Faranda is mainly interested in Plio-Pleistocene marine ostracods. At present, she is looking at ostracod assemblages coming from the Pliocene "Macco Formation", from northern Latium. In collaboration with Elsa Gliozzi, she is also studying the freshwater ostracods coming from a Middle Pleistocene sediment core from Vallo di Diano (Campania).

Elsa Gliozzi and her collaborators Ilaria Mazzini and Costanza Faranda carry out their ostracodological research in Roma. Elsa studies Itallian Neogene-Quaternary freshwater and brackish Ostracoda as biochronological and palaeoenviornmental indicators of different sites in Italy. At present she is involved in the study of Late Miocene brackish water assemblages coming from several localities of northern and central Italy (Velona and Baccinello basins), Monticino quarry (Emilia Romagna), and Perticara (Marche), uppermost Messinian.
In press: (1) Gliozzi, E. and Mazzini, I., Palaeoenvironmental analysis of Early Pleistocene brackish marshes in the Rieti and Tiberino intrapenninic basins (Latium and Umbria, Italy) using ostracods: Palaeogeogr., Palaeoclim., Palaeoecol.; (2) Calderini, G., Calderoni, G., Cavinato, G.P., Gliozzi, E., and Paccara, P., The upper Quaternary sedimentary sequence at the Rieti basin (Central Italy): a record of sedimentary response to environmental changes: Palaeogeogr., Palaeoclim., Palaeoecol.; (3) Cipllari, P., Cosentino, D., Esu, D., Girotti, O., Gliozzi, E., and Praturlon, A., Central Apenines (Italy) accretionary wedge; recognition of lacustrine environment in a Late Messinian thrust-top basin: Palaeogeogr., Palaeoclim., Palaeoecol.; (4) Gliozzi, E., Late Messinian brackish ostracod assemblage of Paratethyan aspect from Le Vicenne (Abruzzi, Central Italy): Palaeogeogr., Palaeoclim., Palaeoecol.; (5) Gliozzi, E. and Mazzini, I., Palaeoenvironmental analysis of the 250,000-year Quaternary sediment core of Valle di Castiglione (Latium, Italy) using ostracods: Bull. Rech. Pau; (6) Barbieri, M., Carrara, C., Castorina, F., Dai Pra, G., Esu, D., Gliozzi, E., Paganin, G., and Sadori, L., Multi disciplinary study of a Middle-Late Pleistocene sequence in the Piana Pontina (Central Italy): Palaeogeogr., Palaeoclim., Palaeoecol.; (7) Gliozzi, E., Cipollari, P., and Cosentino, D., The Messinian "Lago-Mare" event in central Italy: paleogeographical reconstruction using geological data and ostracod assemblages: IGCP 329 Report, Belgrado; (8) Gliozzi, E. and Mazzini, I., Mixtacandona talianae n. sp. (Crustacea, Ostracoda) from the Holocene of Grotta del Lago (Umbria, central Italy): Micropaleontology; (9) Mazzini, I., Anadon, P., Barbieri, M., Castorina, F., Ferreli, L., Gliozzi, E., Mola, M., an Vittori, E., Late Pleistocene/Holocene sea level changes from subsurface data in the Tyrrhenian coast near Orbetello (Tuscany, central Italy); palaeoenvironmental reconstruction using ostracods: Marine Micropaleontology.

Ilaria Mazzini studies Itallian Plio-Quaternary freshwater and brackish ostracods for biochronology and palaeoenvironmental purposes. She is studying a Holocene freshwater lacustrine succession in Umbria, providing interesting faunal assemblages with Cytherella lacustris. Besides, Elsa Gliozzi and Ilaria Mazzini are carrying ut a study on the ostracod assemblages of the Middle-Upper Pliocene succession of the Tiberino Lake (Umbria, central Italy). Moreover, they are still working on the ostracod assemblage of a submarine cave located with sulfurous springs located in southern Italy.

Pietro Miculan continues to work on marine (mainly deep water) Miocene ostracods of the Mediterranean area. He is completing research on middle Miocene assemblages from southeastern Sicily (southern Italy) and he hopes that results will be submitted for publication in the near future.

Nevio Pugliese, Mario Masoli, Gianguido Salvi are working on (1) systematics, ecology/palaeontology of the ostracods of paralic and shelf Mediterranean settings, northern Italian freshwater settings and antarctic-periantarctic areas, and (2) their application in the definition of the recent and late Quaternary evolution of such areas.
Works in progress: (1) systematics and ecology of ostracods of northern Sardinia infra littoral settings; (2) systematics and ecology of ostracods of the Ross Sea shelf and Magellan Straits area; (3) systematics and ecology of ostracods of lakes of Mantova (northern Italy).
Students: (1) Sara Boschetti, Ostracods of Magellan Strait; Viviana Evangelista, Ostracods of Sardinia.

Valeria Rossi, Paolo Menozzi, Giorgio Benassi, Gentlie Giovanni, Andrea Gandolfi, Giampaolo Rossetti continue their activities on population ecology and population genetics of Heterocypris incongruens, Eucypris virens, and Darwinula stevensoni.
Students and thesis topics: Andrea Gandolfi, doctoral student, DNA markers in the population genetics of E. virens, D. stevensoni, H. incongruens; Silvia Zandonati, undergraduate student, Population genetics of E. virens; Roberta Zandonati, undergraduate student, Population ecology of bisexual populations of E. virens; Antonella Tommasi, undergraduate student, Population ecology of D. stevensoni; Eletta Todeschi, undergraduate student, Population genetics of D. stevensoni; Anita Notaro, undergraduate student, Population ecology of E. virens; M. Chiara Magnani, undergraduate student, Planktonic Ostracoda off the Magellan Straits.
In press: (1) Benassi, G., Ferrari, I., Rossi, V., Sei, S., Angel, M.V., and McKenzie, K.G., Planktonic ostracods off the Eolian Islands (Mediterranean Sea): 3eme Congres Europeen des Ostracodologistes, Paris-Bierville, 8-12 Iuglio 1996; (2) Martens, K., Rossetti, G., Fuhrmann, R., Pleistocene and Recent species of the family Darwinulidae Brady and Norman, 1889 (Crustacea, Ostracoda) in Europe: Hydrobiologia; (3) McKenzie, K.G., Ferrari, I., Benassi, G., Planktonic Ostracoda in the Ross Sea; their distribution and associated environmental factors, in Faranda, F., Guglielmo, L., and Ianora, A., eds., Ross Sea ecology: Italiantartide Expeditions (1987-1995), Springer-Verlag; (4) Moroni, A. and Benassi, G., Ostracoda of the Itallian ricefields ecosystem 1960-1986: Cartongraf, Parma; (5) Rossetti, G. and Martens, K., On Darwinula stevensoni Brady and Robertson: Stereo-Atlas of Ostracod Shells.

Katsumi Abe is working mainly on the natural history of myodocopes. A graduate student, Takuo Ono, concentrates on the anatomical structure of the upper lip, and Koshi Yamada on the evolutionary ecology of some sympatric myodocopid species. Richard Reyment visited him in late spring for the advanced morphometric study, and Todd Oakley (Duke University) in summer for the study of vision of Ostracoda.

Keiichi Hayashi is working on the ostracod biostratigraphy and correlation of the Lower Cretaceous formations in southwestern Japan and southeastern Korea.
Papers in press: Nonmarine Ostracoda from the Lower Cretaceous Wakino Subgroup in Northern Kyushu, Japan: Bull. Tokyo Gakugei Univ. 4.

Shin-Ichi Hiruta is working on (1) faunal study of myodocopids from Shimabara, Kyusyu, (2) bioecology of interstitial ostracods from Hokkaido, with Kazumiti Hori (M2), (3) faunal study of freshwater ostracods from Hokkaido, with Masayosi Honma (M1), and (4) morphology of Vargula species.

Noriyuki Ikeya is making a database of Japanese Ostracoda with members of JASSO (Japanese Society for the study of Ostracoda). This project is supported by the Monbusho Scientific Research Fund (since 1995), and will be completed by 2000. A CD-Rom will be issued on the occasion of ISO 2001 at Shizuoka. He is currently working on taxonomy, ecology, and evolution of marine Ostracoda from the paleobiological viewpoint. Four graduate students are working under his guidance: (1) Gengo Tanaka (Biogeography and quantitative analysis of Ostracoda off southeast Asia for the application to Plio-Pleistocene Japanese warm water fauna); (2) Yusako Kaseda (Taxonomy and biogeography of the genus Hemicytherura); (3) Masako Kato (Taxonomic study of the littoral Ostracoda from the Australian coast); (4) Masami Shibuya (DNA analysis of littoral ostracode species for phylogenetic study). Two undergraduate students are studying taxonomy, ecology, and shell structure of Ostracoda.
Nori is now Dean of the combined Physical Sciences and Engineering College (and his department, for which he is the Head, is called Earth and Life Sciences). He manages to keep the administration to a minimum by going to his dean's office only once every three days. He has an undergrad doing some really nice work (senior thesis) with Sem and microprobe on marine ostracode shellssome very nice pictures of organic matrix with "islands" of carbonate (actually with carbonate dissolved out), and they are trying to analyze Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca for different locations in the shell. They are also working on a CD-ROM atlas/catalog of one particularly difficult species of marine ostracode6 views per species (per sex)top, bottom, lateral (both sides), front, and backto help others with identification.

Toshiaki Irizuki is working on (1) Late Cenozoic ostracodes from Japan in association with global climatic change, (2) analyses of shallow marine paleoenvironments based on ostracode shell chemistry, and (3) taphonomy of ostracodes in tsunami deposits. One graduate student, Katsura Yamada, is working on late Pliocene ostracodes in northern Japan.
Papers in press: Irizuki, T., Ostracode faunal changes after the mid-Neogene climatic optimum elucidated within the Middle Miocene Kobana Formation, central Japan: Paleontological Research, 2(1).

Kunihiro Ishizaki is currently working on post-Paleogene ostracodes, with an emphasis on paleoenvironmental analysis, and on Holocene ostracodes of Kagoshima Bay.

Takahiro Kamiya (and his students with a research project) is working on phylogeny of ostracodes based on mtDNA and the differentiation of the pattern of pore systems through ontogeny (with Dr. Tsukagoshi of University of Tokyo). He is also interested in the polymorphism and speciation of ostracodes. Students: Hirokazu Ozawa (D2), Recent ostracode faunas in the Sea of Japan and their relationship with Plio-Pleistocene Omma-Manganjian ostracodes; Tsuyoshi Matsuzaka (M2), Recent cold water ostracodes around Japan; Toru Ishii (M2), Evolution and distribution of the genus Loxoconcha based on the pore system; Tomoe Minami (M1), Phylogenetic relationship of cytheracean ostracodes based on the pore system; Toshihiro Fujita (M1), Nature of the ostracode molting.

Ryoichi Tabuki is studying (1) the ecology and taxonomy of ostracods from the Sekisei-sho area, the largest reef in the Ryukyu Islands, (2) the ostracod fauna of submarine caves in the Palau Islands, and (3) the predation scars on carapaces of reef ostracods. I am submitting a paper with Prof. Hanai on a new saipanettid genus from submarine caves in the Ryukyu Islands.

Akira Tsukagoshi mainly studies segmentation (with Andrew R. Parker, Australian Museum) and homology of copulatory organ of Ostracoda. Using a low-evacuated SEM, I am trying non-coated observation on ostracod holotypes which are deposited in the University Museum, University of Tokyo. The holotypes described by optical microscope in the 1950's-1960's are clearly revived by this method. In the near future, I would like to make them public by publications or internet through the University Museum. I guide a post-graduate student, Yuriko Nakao (Masters course of Nihon University). She researches on lagoonal ostracod and foraminiferal facies in mouth of Obitsu River, Chiba Prefecture in view of seasonal and chronological changes.
Papers in press: Tsukagoshi, A., Evolution of ostracod segmentation: Seibutu Kagaku (Biological Science), 59(4), Nobunkyo, Tokyo [in Japanese].

Michiko Yajima organized the Exhibition of Franz Hilgendorf at five museums in Japan. I am investigating the history of ostracodology in Japan, and discovering good works of F. Hilgendorf and A. Adams in Japan.

Wajih A.K. Al-Jumaily continues as a member of the academic staff of Nasir University, College of Science, Department of Geology and Geoenvironmental Sciences, at Al-Khoms city, Libya. I am continuing my research on the Quaternary Ostracoda and Foraminifera from souther Iraq. I will present a paper at the Geological Conference on Exploration in Marzug Basin, Libya, entitled "Palaeozoogeography of shallow marine Ostracoda from Southern Iraq".
Current work in progress includes (1) marine Ostracoda from Quaternary deposits, southern Iraq (with S.S. Al-Shiekhly), (2) Maymonah Formation: A new formation for Quaternary non-marine deposits (with S.S. Al-Shiekhly), (3) fresh-water ostracod assemblages from Quaternary deposits, Southern Mesopotamian Basin (with S.S. Al-Shiekhly).
Supervised research projects include (1) Mr. Nour Al-Dein M. Al-Grahry, Microfossils from Middle Miocene deposits, Al-Khoms area, Libya, (2) Mr. Mahmod R. Shanshan continues his project on Quaternary ostracods from Zlaetin area, Libya, (3) Mr. Abdel-Salam A. Abu-Khrahis continues his project on the Holocene and Recent Ostracoda and Foraminifera from Wadi Kaam area, Libya, (4) Mr. Maftah M. Al-Zirgany continues his project on the Quaternary Foraminifera and other microfossils from Zlaetin area, Libya.

Ana Luisa Carreno is working on (1) a post-Miocene ostracode study from Pelotas Basin, Rio Grande so Sul, Brazil and Cretaceous Ostracoda from Potiguar Basin, Brasil (with Joao Carlos Coimbra, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul); (2) continuation of my long-term research on Baja California Tertiary calcareous microfauna and microflora (Ostracoda, Foraminifera, and nannoplankton).
Teaching activities: (1) advising a M. Sc. Research project (Guillermo Alvarado V.) On the lacustrine ostracods and the paleoenvironmental reconstruction of Laguna de Babicora, Chihuahua, Mexico, with the collaboration of Manuel Palacios-Fest (Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona) and a Bachelor's thesis on Foraminifera and Ostracoda of the Type Locality of the Tepetate Formation, Baja California Sur, Mexico (Guerrero-Arenas, Rosalma, 1998).
In press: (1) Coimbra, J.C., Carreno, A.L., and Michelli, M.J., Taxonomia y zoogeografia de la Familia Cytheruridae (Ostracoda) de la plataforma continental ecuatorial de Brasil: Revista Brasileira de Zoologia; (2) Guerrero-Arenas, R., Carreno, A.L., and Ledesma-Vazquez, J., Biostratigraphy and depositional history of the Tepetate Formation, at Arroyo Colorado (early-0middle Eocene), Baja California Sur, Mexico: Ciencias Marinas.
In preparation: (1) Delicio, M.P., Coimbra, J.C., and Carreno, A.L., Cretaceous Ostracoda from Potiguar Basin; (2) Carreno, A.L. and Padilla, G., Ostracoda and Foraminifera from Punta Maldonado (Miocene), Mexico and the Neogene sedimentary evolution in relation to regional tectonics.

Ma. Luisa Machain-Castillo and F. Raul Gio-Argaez continue working on (1) Quaternary ostracodes of the Mexican Seas, especially in the diversity and distribution patterns of the continental shelf and coastal areas of Campeche Bay (with W.A. van den Bold); (2) Distribution Atlas and Maps of the Ostracoda of southern Gulf of Mexico; (3) microfossils (ostracods, foraminifers, and mollusks) assemblages of the Thalassia plains in the Yucatan Peninsula (with P.R. Krutak, B.K. Sen Gupta, L.C. Anderson).
Teaching activities of Marma Luisa Machain-Castillo: (1) Guerrero-Herrejan, A., Ostracodos del Eoceno superior de la Formacion Tantoyuca, Veracruz, Mexico, Licenciatura; (2) Gio-Argaez, F.R., Distribution y Ecologia de los ostracodos de la plataforma continental y zona costera del Estado de Campeche, Mexico, Ph.D. thesis.

Driss Nachite and Ratibba Bekkali are working on (1) Neogene lacustrine Ostracoda of Granada Basin (south of Spain) and Saiss Basin (north of Morocco), and (2) limno-brackish Ostracoda from the N.O. of Morocco.

Abdelhamid Rossi During the year 1997, the most important activity was a training realized in the central Africa Museum in Tervuren (Belgium) about geological data management and sponsored by the UNESCO and the AGCD organizations.
I am still working on the lower Cretaceous Ostracoda of the Occidental Hight Atlas region of Morocco, especially in Essaouira-Agadir Bassin in order to prepare a "Doctorat d'Etat marocain" diploma, supervised by Dr. B. Andreu of University Paul Sabatier of Toulouse, France.
In press: A. Chariere, B. Andreu, R. Ciszak, W.J. Kennedy, A. Rossi, and J.M. Vila, La Transgression Du Cenomanien Superieur dans la Haute Moulouya et le Moyen Atlas Meridional (Maroc), Biostratigraphie, Paleoenvironnements et Paleogeographie: Geobios, soumise.

Willem A. van den Bold In the fall of 1997, Maria Machain Castillo and Raul Gio-Argaez came to Utrecht for discussions of Raul's study of the "Distribucion y ecologia de ostracodos de la plataforma continental y zone costera del estado de Campeche, Mexico". I am also working on a compilation of my previous work on the Neogene and Quaternary ostracodes of the Caribbean, the text of which is almost complete.

Theo Lissenberg is following in the footsteps of his former colleague and ostracod worker, Leendert Witte, who some years ago had to discontinue his ostracod activities at the Geological Survey of the Netherlands. Until now I have survived, but there is little demand for Mesozoic stratigraphy using ostracods these days. I almost feel like I am the "Last of the Mohicans". But, do not despair, who knows what great opportunities and adventures like ahead. For the moment I continue my work on Cretaceous and Jurassic ostracodes and foraminifers from both onshore and offshore boreholes in the Netherlands.

Katja Philippart and Chris Winter temporarily discontinued their work on Holocene ostracodes from the North Sea and Skagerrak.

Dick Van Harten for a while stopped looking at Cyprideis torosa. He analysed a marine fauna of a boring into the Eemian of Amsterdam (in cooperation with NIAG-TNO) and is planning to study Recent deep-sea ostracodes collected near whale falls in the Pacific (in cooperation with Craig Smith of Honolulu, Hawaii).

Thierry Hoibian After conducting research with ostracods from Borneo and Makassar Strait, I began, in 1996, another work on the ecological distribution of actual ostracods of New Caledonia from deltaic to shallow marine and reef environments. I presented some results at Fidji and at another congress at Noumea dealing with Marine Benthic Habitats and the use of ostracods in the definition of a biotic index for anthropogenic activity on shallow marine and reefal environments.
Current publications include (1) transitional fresh to marine ostracods from deltaic environments of "la Nera" river and bay of "la Roche Percee" (Bourail, New Caledonia); (2) peculiar ornamented Bairdoppilata and other bairdiinae from reefs and bay of la "Roche Percee" Bourail, New Caledonia. Current computer work: I am developing a database on Pacific ostracods (with MS Access) and developing a GIS for environmental studies (including ostracods). Current project: I plan to complete our previous investigations by studying some other type of estuarine dominated by lateritic clays, on the east coast of New Caledonia.

Stephen Eagar has continued the work on the ostracods of Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands, Republic of Kiribati. The initial work was submitted to the Proceedings of the 3rd European Ostracod Conference. Further samples were collected from some of the nearly atolls for comparison. A consistent difference in surface texture was found and this was presented at a Marine Habitats Conference in Nouvelle Calidonie in 1997 and subsequently submitted for publication.
Another project on the effects of the pollution from a coastal sewer discharge was presented at the Applications of Micropaleontology in Tel Aviv and the 97 ISO in London. This has been written up and submitted for publication. Further work on pollution elsewhere is underway and will be published as a chapter in a book on micropaleontology.
A survey of the intertidal ostracods and other biota of the Wellington south (exposed) coast was made in conjunction with a proposed marine reserve. Two new species of Darwinula were discovered in the process of DNA study with Huw Griffiths. This has been written up with Giampaolo Rosetti and Koen Martens for Italian Jl Zool.
An Hnours student, Mike Morris, is working on the Nukubuco back reef in Su va Harbor, Fiji, which is turning up good ostracod and foraminifer an faunas. Also in Fiji, on the Coral Coast of Viti Levu, a monthly sampling programme is being conducted jointly with the University of the South Pacific. Other studies which are yielding nice ostracod faunas are being led by John Collen on Tuvalu.

Graeme Mason has had some unpleasant changes in his life recently, the chief of which was being forced into early retirement (another way of saying made redundant). I am now working from home. The good bit is that I will have much more time to devote to ostracods and may yet get access to lab space somewhere in the university. I am still working on (1) the checklist of freshwater ostracods of New Zealand, (2) ostracods from shallow water Tertiary sediments, and (3) some freshwater faunas from Thailand. I am also following up some other curiosities such as a shallow water Manawa locality in Nelson, and I may also have a second Mesocypris terrestrial species from Southland.

Kerry Swanson is still beavering away on cores we have collected from the Challenger Plateau in the Tasman Sea. The object of this exercise is to examine water-mass interaction over the last 100,000 years. We are also at the planning stage to participate in the TASQWA programme, which is being organised by GEOMAR in Kiel. The research vessel `Sonne' will visit in October for 26 days in the Southern Ocean for a palaeoceanographic investigation of water-mass interaction during the Quaternary, and aspects of the saline conveyor belt circulation. Thomas Jellinek and I will work on the ostracods and then will cooperate with Patrick De Deckker on a project to refine the use of ostracod shell-chemistry as a paleothermometric and oceanographic tool.
Kerry and Michael Ayress have just submitted for publication a paper on the taxonomy and distribution of Cytheropteron testudo and related species.
Kerry and Patrick De Deckker went on an ostracod safari to Chatham Island to the east of New Zealand. On the basis of wind strength, we postulate the Chilean ostracod fauna will have components whose origins are directly traceable to New Zealand with an intermediate stopover on the Chatham.

Nkechi E. Onyedineke is working with his students on the ecology and systematics of some Nigerian ostracodes. They lack literature and would appreciate receiving help with references.

Ole Bruun Christensen My palaeontological studies are concentrated on specific cores, coming up from Norwegian wells, and particularly my final studies on our ostracod collections from the Mesozoic in Denmark and Norway. I am in a retired position.

Nils Spjeldnaes Not much to report, as other business kept me from most ostracode work last year. The material of mummified ostracodes, with sensory hairs in the pores, reported earlier in Cypris, has not yet been published, but hopefully will be out later this year or early next year. If anybody is interested in photos of these specimens, please contact me. If they had been "real" fossils, they would have been quite sensational, but since they are only 9600 years old (C14), and belong to well-known, living species, they do not give much new anatomical information.

Reginald Victor has not published anything on ostracods for the past 10 years, although I have been steadily accumulating information for two monographs on (1) Freshwater Ostracoda of Nigeria, West Africa, and (2) Freshwater Ostracoda of the Arabian Gulf region, the Middle East. In the Middle East, I am particularly interested in the groundwater and cave faunas. The late Professor Jan Stock of Amsterdam and I collected extensively stygofauna in the Sultanate of Oman in 1995, All ostracods collected during this study is in my possession. Similarly, ostracods are at present being sorted out from samples collected during a Slovenian Caving Expedition in 1997. The ostracod publication expected in the near future is a chapter on tropical Ostracoda with generic identification keys, a part of a book organized by Professor C.H. Fernando, University of Waterloo, Canada.

S. Farah Fatmi is busy processing samples collected from the Paleocene sediments of Sindh province of Pakistan from different localities, e.g., from Sonda, Jherruck, Dhabegi, Thano Bula Khan, Gharo, and Thar areas. The samples of Thano Bula Khan are being jointly studied by myself, Dr. Md. Ali, and Dr. Brohi of Sindh University. The other samples of Dhabeji and Gharo are being studied by myself, Miss Tayeba, and Professor Nadeem Khan of Karachi University in the Marine Labs of Karachi University. The samples of Sonda and Thar are being studied by myself in Pakistan and Dr. Brouwers in the USGS.
I have established a small cell for ostracode studies as a part of Marine Geology with the coordination of Professor Hadeem and Tayeeba Zafar under the chairmanship of Dr. Mallick in Karachi University, Geology Department. In the session 1996-97, I have delivered seven lectures on ostracode classification, morphology, lab techniques, uses in petroleum prospecting, etc., with the help of slides and SEM photographs of the different specimens. It was very much liked by the students and created interest and attraction in them for the study of ostracodes.

Malgorzata Klimowicz is currently working on oogenesis and an ovary structure in Cypris pubera. In my work I use different histochemical and immunocytochemical methods; moreover, I observe ultra thin sections in TEM and sculpture of egg shell in SEM.

Jarmila Krzyminska is involved with Quaternary ostracodes from the southern Baltic Sea.
In press: Krzyminska, J. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of microfauna and malacofauna of deposits of Vistula lagoon: Prace PIG.

Jan Malec continues his research on Devonian ostracodes of the Holy Cross Mountains (sections from the Grzegorzowice-Skaly), and intends to work with ostracodes from the Lower Devonian/Middle Devonian boundary of that area.
In press: Malec, J. and Turnau, Middle Devonian conodonts, ostracods, and miospore stratigraphy of the Grzegorzowice-Skaly Section, Holy Cross Mountains, Poland: Bull. Pol. Acad. Sci., Earth Sci., 1997, 45(1).

Tadeusz Namiotko is interested in taxonomy, ecology, and geographical distribution of Recent and Quaternary nonmarine European Ostracoda (especially from lacustrine habitats). Recently he was involved with two projects: (1) concerning subfossil and Recent Ostracoda from deep lake habitats in Poland, "Morphology, ecology, and geographical distribution of Cryptocandona species" (collaboration with D.L. Danielopol and P. Marmonier), and (2) "Geographical information system of non-marine ostracod distribution in Europe", coordinated by D.J. Horne. For the last part, he spent six months in Chatham.
In press: Namiotko, T., Changes in the profundal lacustrine ostracode fauna as an indicator of environmental perturbations in Polish lakes undergoing eutrophication: Bull. Centr. Rech. Expl.-Prod. Elf Aquitaine, Pau.

Maria Nehring-Lefeld is retired, but continues her routine micropaleontological analyses for the Geological Survey.

Ewa Olempska recently has been completing work on the Early Carboniferous Ostracoda from the Muhua Section, South China. Taxonomic problems have been sorted out and internal shell morphology, especially inner lamella in "Palaeo cope" ostracodes examined. It is hoped that results will be published in the near future. She is also continuing her studies on Devonian-Carboniferous and Frasnian-Famennian Entomozaceans from the Holy Cross Mountains. During the ISO 97 (Chatham), she was elected Secretary of the International Research Group on Palaeozoic Ostracoda for 1997-2000.
In press: (1) Olempska, E., On Editella dawubaensis Olempska gen. et sp. nov.: Stereo-Atlas of Ostracod Shells; (2) Olempska, E., On Muhuaella spinosa Olempska gen. et sp. nov.: Stereo-Atlas of Ostracod Shells; (3) Olempska, E., Ontogeny and sexual dimorphism in Ungerrella (Rhomboentomozoidae): Proc. 3rd European Ostracodologists Meeting, Paris-Bierville, 1996.

Jolanta Paruch-Kulczycka is working on Middle Miocene (mostly Sarmatian) ostracodes of the Fore-Carpathian Depression and was engaged in preparing an Atlas of the Neogene Microfossils from Poland. Recently, together with J. Smolen (and others), she prepared a very interesting exhibition concerning different microfossils, in the Geological Museum of the Polish Geological Institute, in Warsaw.

Jerzy Sell is still engaged in comparative studies on morphology and genetic structures of the selected fresh-water ostracode species (cf. T. Sywula).

Jolanta Smolen studies ostracodes as well as foraminifers from the Upper Jurassic of northern Poland, which are poorly known to date. She is also curator of the Jurassic microfossil collections in the Polish Geological Institute, in Warsaw.
In press: Sell. J., Carapace shape variability in the ostracode Cyprinotus raripila and Carinocythereis carinata (Ostracoda) from the Middle Miocene of the Central Paratethys and their palaeogeographic implications: J. Micropalaeontol.

Tadeusz Sywula, together with Jerzy Sell, are collaborating now with Prof. Nick V. Aladin (Zoological Institute of St. Petersburg) on the genetic variability of Cyprideis torosa and Cyprinotus salinus from the Aral Sea. T. Sywula is directing several M.Sc. theses concerning fresh-water recent and subfossil ostracodes (including interstitial forms) from National Parks of northern and southern Poland.

Janina Szczechura is continuing her work on the Middle Miocene ostracodes as well as Foraminifera from the Fore-Carpathian Depression, mostly their paleoecological and paleogeographical meaning. Recently he found ostracode assemblages from the Upper Silesia containing numerous forms so far unknown from the Paratethys (partly presented during the ISO 97 at Chatham) and provoking speculations concerning their environment and origin. She is supervisor of Ph.D. thesis by Julia Didenko from Lvov (Museum of Natural History) on Upper Cretaceous ostracodes from Ukraine.

Radu Olteanu finished several works this year: (1) Orthogenesis and/or orthoselection, the Leptocythere lineages (Ostracoda, Crustacea) in brackish-water Neogene; (2) Ontogeny and phylogeny of the Sarmatian Limnocardiis (Mollusca); (3) The active and passive forces of natural selection; (4) The values in paleontological axiology; (5) The hinge changes within Cytherideinae groups, taxonomic and systematic significance.
After two decades, I have worked again some samples from Black Sea drillings. I am impressed with the richness and diversity of brackish ostracode faunas (curious and even bizarre ones but, all of them in respect to few morphological patterns). The Paratethys world is not only a "mode of life" but also a close one with particular constraints, selection and lineages. Resulted a short biostratigraphic paper: "The Kimmerian bioprovince". Now I am thinking about a new "great matter": "The fundamental morphological structure in ostracode evolution" (with an accent on the hinge changes, when and why emerged each morphological innovations?dissidents, accidents, endemism, labile and conservative features, order or disorder, laws or cannons, monody or polyphony, etc.) Undoubtedly, all these problems are full of novelties and, of course, with a lot of brilliant ideas (!!)

Nick Aladin is studying osmoregulation of Ostracoda from the Baltic Sea. He is also studying ostracode shells from short cores collected from the Caspian and Aral Seas. At present he is working with about 200 cores from the Aral Sea collected by the Russian Geological Survey in 1990-1991.

V.G. Chavtur During the past year, the revision of the Treatise was done by me for the Subfamily Archiconchoecia and now includes six new genera: Archiconchoecissa, Archiconchoecilla, Archiconchoecinna, Archiconchoecetta, Archiconchoecerra, and also the known genus Archiconchoecia Muller, 1894, which was divided into two subgenera: A. (Archiconchoecia) and A. (Archiconchoecidia). Descriptions and keys to all genera, subgenera, and species were carried out. All new and poorly studied species of this subfamily were illustrated in detail. Results of this revision are in seven papers sent for publication.
I am now writing papers on the revision of the Subfamily Halocyprinae. New bathypelagical genus Halocypretta and some new species were singled out. I am also preparing a paper on ostracodes of the Subfamily Euconchoecinae from the North Pacific.
In addition, numerous ostracodes were selected from planktonic samples collected by the Russian Expedition R/V M. Keldysh, 22 cruise in 1990 and R/V D. Mendeleev 38 cruise in 1986, in the deep waters of Mexico and adjacent regions. I will now begin research on the ostracod fauna of Central America.

D. Kukhtinov In 1997, investigations were on nonmarine Late Permian and Triassic ostracodes, mainly Darwinulocopina. I have prepared a mastery and ostracode meaning review for dividing and comparison of Upper Permian depositions and a paper about taxonomic features of Darwinulocopina. New features allow for a widening of the generic structure of this suborder and offer a new Darwinulocopina structure.

Irina Nikolaeva continues work on Paleogene ostracods of the Scyphian and Turanian plates. During 1996-97 she was involved in RFFI grant (together with E. Bugrova) devoted the Paleocene stages of the development of the benthic fauna (foraminifers and ostracodes).
In press: (1) New Late Paleocene ostracods from the Southern Transural: Paleontol. Zhurn.; (2) Ostracoda in Late Eocene Oligocene geological and biological events on the territory of the former Soviet Union, Part II, Moscow.

Julia Savelieva is a post-graduate student at the St. Petersburg University. The theme of dissertation investigation: "Marine ostracods of the Cretaceous/Paleogene boundary sedimentation of the northern Eurasia". Some results were presented in the International Conference "Regularities of Evolution of the Earth Crust", St. Petersburg, November, 1996; Memorial conference dedicated to Mikhail Vladimirovich Muratov, Moscow, Marz, 1998; International Conference dedicated to the problem of the assimilation of the depths, Tomsk, April, 1998.

E.I. Schornikov continues his research on ecology, morphology, and taxonomy of ostracods.

D.A. Sokolenko is a Post-Graduate student. His current work is Ostracodaindicators of conditions and dynamics of water ecosystems (with examples of several regions of Peter the Great Gulf, Japan Sea). He has a publication on this theme.

Angel Baltanas is still dealing with many results from the activity developed in the EU-project on The evolutionary ecology of reproductive modes in non-marine ostracods. Now he is mainly involved in morphometric analysis of nonmarine ostracods. This year he will start a small project on morphometry of Mixtacandona species and its evolutionary significance (together with Dan Danielopol). Meanwhile, he is still working on reproductive strategies of ostracods living in temporary habitats. A simulation analysis of bet-hedging strategies in ostracods is almost finished (together with Laura Arqueros). Marina Otero is finishing her Masters thesis on the life history of Eucypris virens. Dr. Walter Geiger has been working in our lab on competition between ostracod species.

Jorge Civis Llovera is working with Neogene continental ostracodes from the Duero and Guadalquivir basins (west and southwest Spain).

Montse Gabas i Gasa is preparing her Ph.D thesis on Quaternary from the Baza Basin(south Spain). Under the supervision of Dr. Pere Anadon (Barcelona), she is working with geochemistry of continental ostracods from the Baza Basin.

Jordi Gonzalez Porta is working in two projects related to palaeolimnology of ostracods: (1) ostracods from the Albufera des Grau (Menorca, Balearic Islands), with the study of a 10 m core of Holocene sediments, (2) with several cores from the recent, within a European project about eutrophication in European lakes.

Mary Luiz Gonzalez-Regalado and Francisco Ruiz-Muqoz are currently working with the following topics: (1) Recent estuarine and shallow marine ostracodes from the Gulf of Cadiz, SW Spain; (2) Miocene and Pliocene marine ostracodes from the Guadalquivir Basin (SW Spain); (3) freshwater ostracodes from the Doqana National Park (SE Spain). Future work: (1) correlation analysis between recent and fossil ostracodes; (2) ostracodes as environmental tools; (3) ostracodes from the outer shelf of the Gulf of Cadiz.
In press: (1) Borrego, J., Ruiz, F., Gonzalez-Regalado, M.L., Pendsn, J.G., and Morales, J.A., The Holocene transgression into the estuarine central basin of the Odiel River; (2) Ruiz Muqoz, F., Gonzalez-Regalado, M.L., and Muqoz Pichardo, J., Analisis de poblaciones en ostracodos: el ginero Urocythereis en medios actuales y nesgenos del SW de Espaqa: Geobios.

Redolfo Gozalo is involved in taxonomy and biostratigraphy of Cambrian and Devonian marine ostracodes from Spain. He is preparing a note (with Ingelore Hinz-Schallreuter) on Cambrian ostracods from Spain. Paper submitted (with Luis Sanchez de Posada, Univ. Oviedo), Ungerella (Frankinella) of the Upper Devonian of the Cantabrian Ranges: Revista Espanola de Paleontologia.
Francesc Mezquita-Juanes will try to finish his Ph.D study on the ecology of nonmarine ostracods of eastern Iberian Peninsula by the end of 1998 or the beginning of 1999. Work in progress includes: (1) seasonal ecology of ostracod assemblages in springs, and (2) in a salt marsh; (3) description of a new Cypridopsis species; (4) lab experiments on the ecology and geochemistry of Herpetocypris species, with Guy Wansard, J.R. Roca.
In press: (1) Julia, R., Burjachs, F., Dasi, M.J., Mezquita, F., Miracle, M.R., Roca, J.R., Seret, G., and Vicente, E., Paleoecology and sedimentary evolution towards a recent meromictic lake (La Cruz, Spain): Aquatic Sciences; (2) Mezquita, F., Tapia, G.. and Roca, J.R., Ostracoda from springs on the eastern Iberian Peninsula: Ecology, biogeography, and palaeolimnological implications: Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology (Proc. ISO97); (3) Mezquita, F., Hernandez, R., and Rueda, J., Ecology and distribution of ostracods in a polluted Mediterranean river: Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology (Proc. ISO97); (4) Mezquita, F., Tapia, G., and Roca, J.R., Ostracoda from springs in the eastern iberian Peninsula: Ecology, biogeography, and palaeolimnological implications: Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology.

Josep Roca-Rosell is continuing research on (1) Late Holocene ostracods from limnocrene karstic systems, together with Guy Wansard (University of Louvain); (2) influence of water temperature and water chemistry on developing and trace elements incorporation of several species of the genus Herpetocypris, in collaboration with Guy Wansard and Francesc Mezquita (University of Valencia). Papers submitted: (1) Giralt, S., Burjachs, F., Roca, J.R., and Juli, R., Late Glacial to Early environmental adjustment in the Mediterranean semi-arid zone of the Salines playa-lake (Alacant, Spain); (2) Wansard, G., Roca, J.R., and Mezquita, J.R., Experimental determination (study) of strontium and magnesium partitioning in calcite of the freshwater ostracod Herpetocypris intermedia; (3) Mezquita, F., Roca, J.R., and Wansard, G., Influence of temperature and water chemistry on moulting, survival, and calcification of the ostracod H. intermedia: ecological and paleolimnological implications.
In press: Burjachs, F., Giralt, S., Riera, S., Roca, J.R., and Julia, R., Evolucion paleoclimatica durante el altimo ciclo glaciar en la vertiente mediterranea de la Peninsula Ibirica: Publicacions de la Universitat de Barcelona.

Julio Rodriguez-Lazaro is working with the following topics: (1) benthic responses to Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary perturbations in the Pyrenees, with Yvette Tambareau and others (presented at ISO97); (2) Cenomanian ostracodes and isotopic signals in the Leioa section (Bizkaia); (3) taxonomy and palaeoecology of Quaternary ostracodes from the Little Bahama Bank, and the genus Krithe and its potential in palaeoceanography (both with Tom Cronin, USGS, Reston, USA, and others); (4) Miocene freshwater and estuarine ostracodes from the Azuara Basin (Zaragoza, Spain) and Pliocene lacustrine ostracodes from Villarroya (Spain), with Pere Anadon, CSIC Barcelona) and other colleagues; isotopic and trace elements analysis of the ostracodes for hydrological characterization; (5) Recent ostracodes from the Gernika Estuary (Bay of Biscay), with Ana Pascual (University of Bilbao).
Future work includes (1) Turonian ostracodes from the Basco-Cantabrian and Anglo-Paris basins, comparative study (with Ian Slipper, David Horne, Andrew Gale, Greenwich Univ.); (2) the genus Krithe from the Bay of Biscay (with Pierre Carbonel and other colleagues from Univ. Bordeaux). Maite Martin is working on Neogene lacustrine ostracodes from the Ebro Basin (N Spain), testing the potential for isotopic analysis of ostracod valves to fine palaeoenvironmental reconstructions in this basin. Supervisor (J. Rodriguez-Lazaro). Fernando Caballero is currently working with the taxonomy and palaeoecology of Wealdian ostracodes from the western Bascocantabrian Basin. Supervisor (J. Rodriguez-Lazaro).
In press: (1) Babinot, J.-F., Rodriguez-Lazaro, J., Floquet, M., and Jolet, P., Corrilations entre discontinuitis sidimentaires majeures et crises biologiques chez les ostracodes du Sud-Ouest de l'Europe au Cinomanien: Bull. Cent. Rech. Explor.-Prod. Elf-Aquitaine; (2) Caballero, F., Rodriguez-Lazaro, J., Hernandez, J.M., Pujalte, V., and Robles, S., Asociaciones de ostracodos continentales de la Fm Aguilar (Jurasico Superior-Cretacico Inferior, Cuenca Vascocantabrica): Geogaceta; (3) Pascual, A., Weber, O., Rodruiguez, J., Jouanneau, J.-M., and Pujos, M., Le comblement de la Ria de Gernika (Golfe de Gascogne) l'Holocene terminal: Oceanologica Acta; (4) Rodriguez Lazaro, J., Elorza, J., and Pascual, A., Cenomanian events in the deep western Basque Basin: the Leioa section: Cretaceous Research.